If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run
by April O'Brien
Summary: Love is a very stupid and complicated emotion, according to several individuals. Love can make people do questionable and ridiculous things. Love can strike you out of nowhere. Soon enough, you're madly in love with someone that you probably can never have while also being blind to those that DO love you! Yeah, love is stupid. Sometimes. But love can also be a lovely thing.
1. There's a Reason Why

**Pairings:** [Chelsea, Vaughn], [Mark, Chelsea], [Vaughn, Sabrina], [Denny, Lanna], [Will, Lily], [Elliot, Julia], [Pierre, Natalie], [Mark, Alisa]. These are possible pairings. As you read the story, you'll see that a few of these are not permanent.

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own Harvest Moon. Never will.

 **Author's Note:** This entire story is completed with 36 chapters, 439 pages. All chapters are two thousand words or more. I'll post a chapter every Monday and Thursday. If you do not like any of the pairings that are placed above, then you need to leave. Sorry.

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If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter I: There's a Reason Why

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A sigh coated in weariness trickled out of her mouth as she tied her red bandana around her head. When she was done, she wiped her hands on her jean shorts and came to the conclusion that she was done working for the day. All of the animals were taken care of, crops were planted, watered, and picked, and she shipped all that she could for the day.

"Man," she yakked, stretching out her sore muscles. "It's evening already. It's like I never get a break from this."

Really, she could not complain. She was the one who chose this life. Chelsea was a young woman from out of town who left her previous home in the city to become a great rancher. It was always her dream to become one and she finally fulfilled it by coming to Sunshine Islands and living out her dream. When she first conveyed her dream to her family, they gazed at her as if she had grown a second head. They were livid and extremely disappointed when she finally left the city to live on Sunshine Islands.

Chelsea did not regret her severe decision. She managed to accomplish her dream of becoming a great rancher, she had a nice home on Ranch Island, and she made a bunch of friends that she was very close with. It was lovely.

"Chelsea?"

Mildly startled, Chelsea ceased her stretching and straightened up, placing her gaze on a blond individual that trekked her way. Instantly, a grin of elation curled her lips and she lifted a hand, waving. "Hey, Mark!"

Mark was a young man who was also from the city. He was born and raised in the city, like Chelsea, but had always been an aspiring farmer. Mark wanted to begin a new life on a faraway island because he was completely unsatisfied with his life in the city. The guy arrived in Sunshine Islands by unusual circumstances. He boarded a ship to proceed to another island other than Sunshine Islands, but there was a violent storm and a vigorous bolt of lightning struck the ship, destroying it instantly. The poor guy washed up on the beach and that was where Chelsea and Taro (Taro was an old guy who helped Chelsea get started being a rancher) discovered him. Chelsea was nice enough to give Mark a place to stay on Ranch Island, and she offered him a job by helping her out on her farm. Mark was overjoyed to do so and the two of them became very close friends in a short time. Now, Mark earned enough to have his own house built right next to Chelsea's ranch and the male often helped her out with her daily duties.

Mark was a very sweet individual who always thought of others before himself. He was absolutely selfless and he never once committed a cruel act. The male was a hardworking, thoughtful person who was not impressed by gifts. Still, he always accepted a gift cheerfully if one desired to give him one.

"All done for the day?" questioned the blond male, adjusting his blue cap atop his head, a massive smile decorating his facial features.

"All done is right," responded Chelsea, crossing her arms over her chest as she studied the guy's current attire. Mark was dressed in his usual getup, which consisted of a white shirt underneath blue overalls, an orange short sleeved vest, a red bandana wrapped around his neck, red gloves, and black boots. Of course, he had on his blue cap too, which he wore backwards. "What are you up to?"

Mark watched her with his emerald green eyes. "Nothing much. I just woke up from a nap. Sorry I wasn't able to help you around the ranch today."

"It's fine," commented the female, waving a hand at him in a dismissive manner. "Anyway, I was about to go get something to eat at Nick's Diner. Want to join me?"

Mark's face seemed to light up when Chelsea sent him that question. "Sure! I'd love to, Chelsea! At the diner in Verdure Island, right?"

Chelsea answered incredulously, "Yep. Where else?"

"Right. Stupid question," remarked Mark, smiling from ear to ear.

Once their conversation concluded, the two individuals made their journey into Verdure Island and entered the diner. There were a few of the islands' inhabitants in there, but not much. Chelsea wondered where everyone was. The place was usually packed around this time.

"Where do you want to sit?" Mark asked his companion, peering around the place. There were a bunch of vacant tables.

"Anywhere is fine." Chelsea shrugged.

Shrugging also, the blond took her hand in his and pulled her over to a table. He let go of her hand as soon as they reached it and he pulled out a chair for her. Chelsea thanked him and sat down in it, smiling a little. Mark was always overly polite to her for some unfathomable reason.

"I'll go order our stuff. What do you want?" Mark wanted to know, planting his palms on the table and leaning forward in her direction. He waited patiently for her answer.

Chelsea formed her response and opened her mouth to release it, but something caught her attention. Whipping her head to the side, she caught sight of a silver haired male stepping into the diner, hands in his pockets and a blank expression covering his face. Immediately, Chelsea could feel her heartbeat increase in its speed and could feel how her face was getting hot. Nervousness gripped her in waves and there was a little bit of excitement there too.

It was _Vaughn_.

Vaughn was a man with unusually silver colored hair who was always dressed like a cowboy with the hat and everything. He was a livestock dealer who came to the islands two days a week. Vaughn was a hardworking businessman who took his work very seriously. He also had a deep care for animals. The guy was completely antisocial, frequently moody, and unnecessarily cold. The only people he even bothered to speak to were Mirabelle (a nice woman who owned an animal shop), Julia (a friend of Chelsea's and Mirabelle's daughter), and Sabrina (a very wealthy girl that Chelsea wasn't very close with).

Ever since Chelsea met Vaughn she had a crush on him. At first, she really did not recognize that she had a crush on the icy male. Eventually, she came to the realization that she _did_. Whenever she had the opportunity, she would attempt to start a conversation with him, but he was always short with her and sometimes didn't answer her at all. Still, Chelsea believed that he had warmed up to her a little bit after all this time. She knew, without a doubt, that he respected her for her work as a rancher and she respected him in return.

Vaughn stood there for a moment, surveying his surroundings with his unusually colored eyes before his gaze locked with hers. Chelsea could feel the heat in her cheeks intensifying and she awkwardly smiled at him, forcing herself not to look away. The only acknowledgement Vaughn gave to her was a tip of his hat and a nod of his head. After that, the guy walked over to the front counter and ordered a glass of milk, sitting by himself as usual.

"Uh, Chelsea?" Mark was waving a hand in front of his temporary companion's face, trying to get her attention. "Earth to Chelsea! Hey! You're spacing out!"

Chelsea quickly snapped out of it, whipping her head back in Mark's direction so fast that Mark worried that her neck might break. "Huh?" she unintelligently murmured, sounding as if she were just waking up from a dream.

"You've been spacing out for almost five minutes," Mark talked, planting his palms on his hips and raising an eyebrow. He appeared to be mildly annoyed. "I asked you what you wanted to eat, but you never answered."

"Oh, sorry about that." Chelsea laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.

Mark inspected her for a moment before twirling around and eyeing Vaughn at the front counter, who was now taking leisure sips from his glass of milk. As if on cue, an expression of amusement painted Mark's face and he turned back to capture Chelsea within his gaze. "Ah, now I see why you spaced out like that! It's because of that Vaughn guy, right?"

"Keep your voice down!" Chelsea practically squeaked, cheeks coloring. "Are you crazy? He could have heard you!"

Mirth danced within Mark's eyes. "You _still_ have a crush on that guy? Seriously, I don't even know why you do. The guy is so frosty!" blurted out the blond. "You do know that he's interested in Sabrina, right?"

Immediately, Chelsea's embarrassment withered away into nothingness and she slumped in her chair, breathing out a loud and heavy sigh. Her mood became damaged and a crestfallen look inhabited her features. "Yeah," she said gloomily. "I know."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chelsea," Mark yammered, taking a seat beside her and staring at her with a huge amount of concern. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's fine," muttered the female, shrugging.

No, it was _not_ fine. Chelsea only said that to cease Mark's concern for her. It was true. Vaughn was interested Sabrina. That was one obstacle that Chelsea knew that she would never overcome. Vaughn never paid her any attention, not like he paid attention to Sabrina.

Sabrina was probably one of the sweetest individuals that she had ever met. The girl was the daughter of Regis, her multi-millionaire father. She lived at Regis' enormous mansion on Sprout Island and was a secretary and bookkeeper for her father. Sabrina was a very shy and quiet girl, but she was forever polite. The girl had an artistic side to her and loved to paint and had an interest in ores and mining.

Sabrina was really pretty too, which was something Chelsea instantly noticed when she first met the other female. Sabrina had long, raven colored hair and purplish eyes. She was a petite thing with pale skin and a beautiful smile. She was always wearing glasses too because her eyesight wasn't the best.

"Chelsea, why don't you go over and talk to him?" Mark suggested after a moment of hesitation. It was almost like he had to force the words out, but there was a small smile playing on his lips. "I mean, he'll be leaving tomorrow and you won't be able to see him until next week. You might as well talk to him now."

Chelsea formed her hands into fists and chewed on her lower lip in an uneasy manner, Mark's suggestion trampling through her mind. "You think I should do that?" she retaliated quietly, bringing her gaze over to the silver haired man. "You really think that's a good idea?"

"Sure." Mark simpered. "Do it."

"Fine." Chelsea removed herself from her chair shakily, heart pounding in her chest. "Wish me luck."

Mark gave her a thumbs-up. "You already have my luck. Now go."

Chelsea wanted to give the male rancher a hug, but refrained from doing so. Instead, she hurried over to the front counter where Vaughn was sitting and nervously took a seat next to him. Vaughn didn't even _look_ at her.

"Um, hey, Vaughn," caterwauled the female, tugging on a strand of her own hair, trying not to gaze at him. "How are you doing?"

Vaughn glanced at her, finally realizing she was there. The blank look on his face did not disperse though. "Chelsea," he greeted coldly. "I'm fine."

"So," Chelsea drawled, finally gazing at him now. She watched as he took slow sips from his glass of milk. "How's work going for you?"

Vaughn only grunted in response.

Chelsea went silent, unsure of what that meant. Was this a mistake? Maybe she should have stayed at the table with Mark. Vaughn did not seem to be in a talkative mood. Actually, he was _never_ in a talkative mood.

"How are your animals doing?" Vaughn decided to ask, turning his head to look at her, glass in his hand.

"My animals?" Chelsea was a little disappointed that he didn't ask how she was doing. "They're good. My chicken had more babies."

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Chelsea bobbed her head in a nod. "Oh, indeed. She had four chicks. They didn't hatch yet though. They will soon." She put on a proud smile.

"You don't mind…if I take one off your hands, do you?" Vaughn asked, mildly hesitating.

"What for?" Chelsea wanted to know, eyebrows shooting up in astonishment. Curiosity painted her face and she leaned forward a little bit, staring at him deeply. "You want it as a pet or something?"

Vaughn appeared a little vexed now and he turned away from her, quickly finishing his glass of milk. "Does it matter? I don't think it's any of your business anyway."

Agitation coursed through Chelsea's veins like a foul poison and she removed her eyes from him and placed them ahead of her, a frown crawling around her face. "Okay, fine. You don't have to tell me. Still, I'll give you one."

"Thanks," muttered Vaughn shortly.

"No problem," Chelsea murmured gloomily, putting her hands in her lap. She lowered her head and sighed, her attitude downcast.

Was it really impossible for Vaughn to be hers? It seemed so. There was a reason why Vaughn never paid her any close attention.

And that reason was _Sabrina_.


	2. A Walk During the Evening

**Author's Note:** There is an updating change. All updates will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Thank you for the follows, by the way.

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own Harvest Moon.

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If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter II: A Walk During the Evening

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Humming a soft and foreign tune, the raven haired girl delicately swooshed her paintbrush against the canvas. As she made gentle strokes, purple paint managed to splat on her cheeks, but she did not pay any attention to that. All her attention was focused on what she was currently doing. The girl was painting a picture for someone, someone that she considered very special to her.

It was a painting for _Vaughn_.

Sabrina would have continued letting her paintbrush dance across the canvas, but there was an unexpected knock on her room door. Squeaking in surprise, the girl dropped her paintbrush and it touched the carpet below her feet, staining it red. Sabrina had thought about putting plastic underneath her workspace, but decided against it, thinking that she would not spill any paint. Unfortunately, she did. Worrying about how she was going to get the paint out of the carpet, the black haired girl ventured to her room door and opened it, seeing her father standing there.

"Father!" Sabrina squawked, eyes widening. "Is there something wrong?"

Regis shook his head. "No, Sabrina. There is nothing wrong." He peered into her room with great interest, obviously trying to catch a glimpse of her latest painting. After a moment, he stopped that and brought his attention back to her. "Someone is here to see you."

"Oh." Sabrina fixed her glasses over her eyes, throwing on a soft smile. "How delightful. Who is it?" she asked, her voice soaked with curiosity.

Regis had an untellable expression dancing around his face. "It is that livestock dealer, Vaughn."

Sabrina felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart skipped a beat. She brought a fist to her chest to calm her heart and could not stop the large smile from appearing on her face. "I-It's Vaughn?" she stuttered out quietly.

"Yes. He is at the front door waiting for you," Regis responded quickly. "You should go see what he wants. I'll be in my study." Through with that, the man fled to his study.

Smoothing out her skirt, Sabrina hastily left her room and shut the door behind her. With much enthusiasm, the female hurried downstairs and stopped right in front of the door that led outside. Sabrina inhaled deeply and, while she exhaled, grasped the doorknob, twisted it, and pulled it open.

Vaughn stood there waiting for her, hands deep in his pockets. Just the sight of him made Sabrina weak in the knees. Her heart skipped a beat once more and she put on one of her biggest smiles, rapidly becoming shy all over again.

That was something that frequently happened whenever Vaughn stopped by to pay her a visit. She would become this shy little girl and get incredibly quiet. Sabrina honestly did not know how to act around Vaughn. It was like she had no control over her own feelings or her body. Whenever she wanted to talk more to him, her body would not cooperate. It was the same thing every single time and it frustrated her to no end.

Sabrina was in love with Vaughn. She was very certain of that, and she was not oblivious to Vaughn's sudden interest in her. The raven haired female was aware that Vaughn enjoyed her company. She enjoyed his company in return. Sabrina did not know what Vaughn found so interesting about her, but she was not complaining. She was eternally grateful for it and hoped that she would be able to one day tell him how she really felt about him.

"Good evening, Vaughn," Sabrina spoke, mentally cheering herself for not stuttering that time. "What are you doing here this evening? The…the um sun is almost gone."

Vaughn stared at her, emotions unrecognizable. "I came here to see if you wanted to take a walk with me," he responded in his usual cold voice. "Since I won't be back until next week."

"O-Oh!" Sabrina threw on an astonished look. "Y-You…really want to take a walk…with…" She bowed her head, face flushing. "…me?"

Vaughn cleared his throat, turning away from her. "That's what I just said," he frostily stated. "Do I have to repeat myself or what?"

"N-No…!" Sabrina yipped loudly, almost squeaking. "O-Of course not! I…I want to take a walk with you!"

"Alright." Vaughn waited for her to step out of the house. "Come on then."

Heart racing, the dark haired girl rushed out of the house and shut the door behind her, making sure to lock it. When she was done, she instantly started following Vaughn down a dirt path. Once she was comfortably walking alongside him, she clasped her hands in front of her and tried to control her heartbeat.

"S-So…how are you doing?" Sabrina wanted to know, mouth dry due to her nervousness.

"I'm fine." Vaughn removed his hands from his pockets to allow his arms to sway back and forth as he wended. "You?"

Sabrina nodded quickly. "I'm great!"

Then, there was complete silence.

Sabrina allowed a sigh lathered in mild hopelessness to trickle out of her mouth and she fiddled around with her own fingers in front of her body. It was so quiet and Vaughn did not initiate a conversation. In fact, he seemed to be pondering heavily about something. It was like he was trying to come to an important decision, but wasn't entirely sure if he should make a decision at all. Sabrina wanted him to voice his thoughts, wanted him to speak his concerns to her, but she knew that probably wasn't going to happen. Sabrina ruminated about questioning him about what was going through his brain, but thought against it. That would be an invasion of privacy, and Vaughn was a very private person. He did not like sharing his business with other people and that included her, she believed.

Deciding to contemplate about something else, Sabrina's mind ventured back to the painting that she had been creating up in her room. It was for Vaughn. Maybe she could inform him of it? How would that make him feel? She wondered if he would be elated about it; she hoped he would. That's all she wanted for Vaughn. She wanted him to be happy always and she hoped to someday see a smile on his cold face. As she toyed with the idea of telling him about the painting, they came across someone.

It was Chelsea and Mark.

The duo had been chatting with each other, but then stopped abruptly when they spotted her and Vaughn. Some kind of look passed across Chelsea's face that Sabrina disliked. She was not sure what it was since it disappeared quickly, but she knew it was not a pleasant one. It was covered up with a jolly grin and Mark was busy waving at them brightly.

Sabrina thought that Mark was a very sweet guy. He was always nice to her and Sabrina appreciated that. Chelsea was nice too and they were friends, but they weren't very close.

"Hey, Sabrina, Vaughn!" Mark chattered merrily, dropping his gloved hand back to his side. He tilted his head to the side like a curious cat, wonderment swimming in his emerald green eyes. "Didn't I just see you at the diner, Vaughn?"

Vaughn gave Mark a single nod. "Yeah."

"And now here you are." Mark observed, a crooked grin on his lips. "Walking with Sabrina."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Vaughn eyed Mark closely with suspicion.

"How're you doing, Sabrina?" Chelsea hastily jumped in, interrupting their chat. "I haven't seen you in a few days. I hope you're doing good and everything."

Sabrina placed her attention on the dark brown haired female. "Oh, I am well." She offered a soft smile. "How are you, Chelsea?"

"I'm fine." Chelsea shrugged, putting her hands in her pockets and avoiding looking directly at Sabrina. It was like she was purposely avoiding Vaughn too.

"Anyway," yawped Mark, grabbing a hold of Chelsea's hand and tugging on it. "We were just on our way home. Right, Chelsea?"

Chelsea solemnly nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

"Good seeing you, Vaughn, Sabrina!" Then, like the wind, Mark pulled Chelsea along as they left.

Sabrina blinked several times, discombobulated. The way they made their departure seemed like they were fleeing from unseen assailants. The glasses wearing girl ran a hand through her dark locks and continued to watch them go. The encounter was odd, she noted. Mark appeared eager to get away from them and Chelsea looked like she wanted to run faraway. Sabrina did not understand it and she wasn't sure if she would _ever_ understand it.

"Strange," murmured Vaughn, frown creasing his forehead.

"H-Huh?" Sabrina turned to him.

Vaughn closed his eyes and started trekking again. "What just happened was strange."

"Oh! Yes, um, it _was_ …" Sabrina caught up with him until she was walking alongside of him again. "Their behavior was…very odd."

"Yep."

Sabrina closed her mouth and continued walking with the male in silence. It was like that for a little while until Vaughn decided to stop at the beach. As one, they watched the cool waves of the ocean caress the sandy shore. There was a calming breeze and Sabrina thought it was lovely. Spending time with Vaughn was lovely as well, she thought.

"Sabrina…"

Stiffening up, the bookkeeper moved so that she was facing her male companion. It was so very rare whenever Vaughn said her name and it made her heart do a frantic dance within her chest. Butterflies assaulted her belly relentlessly and she swallowed hard, eyes enlarging due to her uncontrollable emotions.

"Y-Yes? Wh-What is it…?" she managed to say through her heavy emotions.

Without any more words dancing from Vaughn's mouth, he reached over with his left hand and cupped Sabrina's right cheek. As soon as she felt the man's hand on her cheek, Sabrina's body became a stiff board. Her muscles locked up and her mind went haywire with her erratic emotions. Sabrina had no clue what he was doing, but she could feel her heart fluttering in her chest like crazy and she thought she was going to faint at any moment. Soon, she could feel Vaughn's thumb running across the skin on her cheek softly, his gaze directly on her face.

Sabrina knew that her face was as red as tomato by how hot it was. As the guy continued to stroke his thumb along her cheek, she unmindfully leaned into his touch, trying to keep her eyes open. Just when she was becoming comfortable with Vaughn's touch, he withdrew his hand.

"You have paint on your cheek…"

Overwhelming embarrassment slammed into Sabrina's being like a violent wave of the ocean. It was not unlike a physical blow, causing the dark haired girl to stumble back a little. Tears appeared in the corner of her eyes and she lowered her head, face on fire for a different reason.

Vaughn must have thought that she was silly now. The only reason he touched her was to get a better look at the paint on her cheek! Why did she have to be so foolish? She had been walking with him for almost an hour with paint on her face?! How stupid is that?

"I-I'm s-so…" Sabrina could not finish her sentence.

"What?" Vaughn was flabbergasted by her behavior and a tad bit concerned with the tears filling the corner of her eyes. Had he done something wrong? "It's…fine. It's just paint. It's no big deal."

Sabrina did not listen and the tears finally began to slide down her cheeks. She turned her hands into fists at her sides and she kept her head down, too embarrassed to gaze at the one she loved.

"So stop crying," Vaughn chattered uncomfortably, awkwardly placing his hands atop her shoulders. "It's just paint, alright? I…was only pointing that out to you."

"I'm so silly for not noticing it!" Sabrina blubbered, feeling pathetic.

Vaughn shook his head. "It's fine. Really."

Sabrina lifted her head a little to peer at him. "…R-Really?"

Vaughn nodded, exasperated. " _Really_."

"Okay…" whispered the female, wiping away her tears. "I-I'm sorry."

Vaughn slowly removed his hands from her slender shoulders and placed them back at his sides. "Do you want me to walk you home now?"

"S-Sure…" mumbled Sabrina, disappointed.

Vaughn took notice of the disappointment coating her tone and he silently reached over and grasped her small hand in his own, walking at a leisure pace. "We can…we can take a walk again when I come back next week…if you want." The guy wasn't looking at her and he was pulling the brim of his hat down to cover most of his face. Sabrina thought she could see the color red painting his cheeks.

"I'd love to…" Sabrina uttered quietly, feeling like her heart was going to melt.

Vaughn said nothing more.


	3. Interesting Facts About Mark's Feelings

**Author's Note:** Enjoy this chapter about Mark's feelings. As you continue to read the chapters that are posted, you will begin to see some drama. Even though this story is about romance and drama, there is also a bit of humor. More characters will make their appearance.

 **Disclaimer:** I will NEVER own Harvest Moon. Why the heck am I even putting a disclaimer anyway? There is simply no way that I can own Harvest Moon. It is truly, _truly_ impossible. It's IMPOSSIBLE!

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If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter III: The Interesting Facts About Mark's Feelings

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Mark performed a weary exhale, removing his blue cap and running a hand through his blond tresses. His hair was still damp from the shower he had taken ten minutes ago. The guy dressed himself into something comfortable that he would sleep in. It was a loose, white t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.

The rancher wanted to sleep, but he knew that was absolutely impossible at the moment. Chelsea kept invading his thoughts for reasons that were known to him. Mark had strong feelings for his best friend. It was only natural that he developed these feelings toward her.

Chelsea was the most beautiful person he had ever met, truly. It was like she was an angel from heaven. That was how he saw her. The brunette was a very hard worker, always willing to help those in need and _always_ tending to her crops and animals. Chelsea made Sunshine Islands a better place for everyone, he believed. Chelsea was a very kind and caring individual and that was one of the things he loved about her.

Mark always went out of his way to help her out around her ranch. It was something he enjoyed doing, and it just wasn't for Chelsea. He loved being a rancher himself. The male rancher often found himself working around Chelsea's ranch even if she never asked him for his help. He knew Chelsea appreciated every bit of work he put in and he knew that it pleased her. So, he made sure to keep it frequent.

Unfortunately, Chelsea had never come to the realization that he also had ulterior motives to his various actions. The guy wanted to impress her, _always_. Whenever he was performing work on the ranch, he would put his all into it, whenever Chelsea was present, that is. If he made a mistake or was clumsy with something during work, he would become embarrassed and he would mentally curse himself for messing up in front of her. Mark tried to keep his feelings for her to a minimum and was subtle about it. Still, it was enough for someone to recognize it. His other good friend, Denny the fisherman, had easily recognized his feelings for Chelsea. A few other people on Sunshine Islands also were not blind to Mark's affections for Chelsea. Mark guessed that Chelsea was a little dense.

Mark _never_ had her _true_ attention. Nope. All her attention was on Vaughn the cowboy. Mark did not resent the man for stealing all of the female rancher's attention, but he was forever annoyed about it. It made him frustrated whenever Chelsea's behavior changed all because _he_ was around. In addition to that, Mark often became irritated whenever words about Vaughn poured out of Chelsea's mouth. Mark couldn't remember a time where Chelsea _did not_ talk about him. It made him forlorn inside. Chelsea was aware of her feelings for the livestock dealer, but she was completely oblivious to Mark's feelings for her.

The blond did not have anything against the silver haired individual, but he sometimes wished that Vaughn would stop coming to Sunshine Islands. Mark _wanted_ to be Vaughn's friend and he even attempted to engage in a friendly conversation with him a few times, but it was difficult for him. Plus, Vaughn wasn't a very social person either. That added to the difficulty of having a conversation with the cold male. Mark knew that it wasn't Vaughn's fault that Chelsea had a massive crush on him and he tried not to blame him for that.

There was some hope though. Vaughn was not interested in Chelsea. All of his interest was tossed over to the raven haired Sabrina. Mark was totally flabbergasted when he first heard that Vaughn had a thing for Sabrina and he didn't believe it. Chelsea did not believe it at first either, but their beliefs were flawed when they caught Vaughn and Sabrina talking with each other one day. It looked like they were having a little outing. Chelsea had been so upset that day that Mark had to comfort her to calm her down.

"Chelsea," whispered Mark to himself, getting into his bed and turning out the lights. "What do you see in Vaughn? He isn't even interested in you."

Halfheartedly attempting to quiet his thoughts, Mark allowed sleep to clutch him and carry him away into dreamland. When he opened his eyes again, he could see the warm daylight trickling down from underneath his curtains that covered his windows. The guy stayed in bed for another hour before deciding to get up.

Mark brushed his teeth, devoured an apple, and got dressed in his usual overalls getup. He placed his blue cap on top of his head and exited his house, hurrying over to Chelsea's ranch to see if she needed help with anything. As soon as he got there, he could see the brunette watering her crops with her watering can. There was a pleasant smile decorating her features and her eyes were lit with the joy of working on her ranch. Mark could not help but smile himself from the look on her face. He understood how she felt about working on a ranch. It was the best feeling ever.

"Good morning, Chelsea!" Mark greeted her, putting as much enthusiasm as he could into his tone. "I see you're getting an early start on the ranch, huh?"

Chelsea dipped her watering can, spraying water over more of her crops, her smile becoming larger. "Morning, Mark!" She sounded jolly. "I always get an early start. You know that."

"Right," Mark said through a chuckle.

"Good morning." Another voice grabbed their attention.

Spinning around simultaneously, Chelsea and Mark could see a blond guy approaching them, his eyes a bright sky blue. Instantly, Mark recognized him and his eyebrows shot up in question and mild astonishment.

"Will!" Chelsea yipped, tone soaked with jovialness. "What are you doing here? Wouldn't you rather be on your fancy yacht?" A playful expression passed across her face and she straightened up, crossing her arms. "And where's that beautiful horse of yours?"

Will shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets. "I decided to walk this time, my lady," he answered smoothly, sending Chelsea a very charming smile that made Mark frown. "And no, I'm not on my yacht right now, as you can see. I was searching for my cousin. Have you seen her anywhere? I cannot seem to find her. We were supposed to have breakfast together at Nick's Diner on Verdure Island. I waited there for an hour, but she never showed up. I went looking for her, but I couldn't find her anywhere. I became worried. Anyway, that's why I came over here."

"Oh? Sabrina's missing?" talked Chelsea, bringing a hand to her chin in deep thought. "Have you looked at her mansion?"

Will smirked and snickered. "My uncle's mansion was the first place I searched."

Chelsea's face colored from embarrassment. "Right. Of course it was."

"Well, did you look on the other islands?" Mark demanded to know, tone holding no emotion.

Will seemed to take notice of this and put on a half-smile, unbothered. "Yes, I did, Mark," he responded easily. "I believe she might be constantly moving around. That is why I cannot find her. Oh well. Maybe we could have lunch together. Oh!" Will seemed to think of something, an enormous grin spreading across his handsome face. "My lady, why don't you join me for breakfast on my yacht?" he asked politely.

 _What's this all about?!_ Mark pondered, almost panicking. His face became tight with scorn and he eyed Will in pure disdain. Usually, Mark was friendly with Will and they got along just fine, but now he was messing around with Chelsea! Why did this guy want to have breakfast with Chelsea on his _yacht_?! Was this some sort of special occasion? Why couldn't he just continue to search for his cousin and have breakfast with _her_? Mark hoped to the Harvest Goddess that Chelsea had already consumed breakfast.

"Ah…really?" Chelsea blinked several times, a puzzled expression crawling around her face. "Uh…you want _me_ to have breakfast with _you_ …on your _yacht_?" Mark could not identify the emotion in her tone.

Will was watching her closely, obviously enjoying her reaction to his proposal. "Yes. I'd love it if you joined me."

"Um…sure," answered Chelsea with a bright smile. "I'm almost finished here. All I have to do is finish watering my crops and I'll be done. After that, I can join you for breakfast on your yacht."

"Marvelous!" Will clapped his hands, elated.

Mark tried to stop himself from pouting and pulling his own hair out of his head. "Are you sure your cousin won't be worried about you? What if she was on Verdure Island right now at Nick's Diner? What if…she was just late or something?" he questioned, hoping that Will would change his mind about having breakfast with Chelsea on his fancy yacht.

"Hmm?" Will put his gaze on the other male. "Oh. I don't believe so. I checked there twice and she was not there."

"Well…" Mark feebly input, looking elsewhere. "What…what about Lily?"

A frown jumped onto Will's features. "What about her?" It almost sounded like he wanted to snap at Mark.

"Aren't you two…together or something?" Mark queried, still desperately trying to stop Will from taking Chelsea away from him.

It was true. Will and Lily _were_ together. Mark thought they were a nice couple, but in the present he wasn't sure what their relationship was like now. Will and Lily had gotten into a vicious argument about something a few weeks back and the two of them had not spoken much to each other.

"Mark!" Chelsea exclaimed, appalled that he would ask such a personal question like that. "Does it matter? Besides, it's not like this is a date or something. He was just inviting me to have breakfast with him since his cousin couldn't."

"Exactly," agreed Will, nodding his head and sending the male rancher an icy look. "What? Did you honestly think that my proposal was something more?"

Mark sputtered, spitting out incoherent words as his face flushed with true embarrassment. He lowered his eyes to the ground and refused to look at their faces. He should have just kept his mouth shut! Chelsea probably thought he was a foolish clown now.

"Well?" Will persisted, wanting a coherent answer from the other blond.

Chelsea was staring at him too, expression untellable. When Mark peeked a look at her, there was amusement dancing within her eyes and he knew that she was not angry with him. That relieved him to no end.

"O-Of course not! U-Uh…I-I'm going to Sprout Island to visit Denny! See you around Chelsea and have a nice time with Will on his yacht!" Before Chelsea or Will could speak, Mark spun around and marched off, leaving Ranch Island as fast as he could.

Why did he have to act like such a weirdo?

And why did _Will_ want to have breakfast with _Chelsea_ on his _yacht_?!


	4. A Lost Keepsake

**Author's Note:** Within this story, I've made Julia and Vaughn related to one another as cousins. I thought it would be interesting. If you disagree, that's fine. Just know that I am not going to change it.

Anyway, thank you for reading and thank you for the comments.

* * *

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter IV: A Lost Keepsake

* * *

"It's…just not right," breathed Sabrina, crestfallen and immensely sorrowful. From behind her glasses, she studied the beautifully painted canvas in front of her. She had finally completed it, but it just did not seem right to her. She wanted her work to represent Vaughn's personality, but it did no such thing. It was too _bright_ and colorful. Was Vaughn's personality colorful? Sabrina didn't think so.

"What's the problem _this_ time?" questioned Natalie in a bored tone, lounging on one of the chairs located in Sabrina's luxurious room. Natalie was a pretty lady that lived on Verdure Island with her older brother, mother, and grandfather. Natalie was very good friends with Chelsea, Julia, and Lanna. The girl was quite bossy and a bit of a perfectionist, but she was only like that to stay tough. Natalie was kind of a tomboy and the sarcastic type and was always teasing her older brother, but she had a kind heart. Plus, she had a thing for another one of Sunshine Island's residents, and his name was Pierre.

Sabrina flinched at Natalie's uninterested tone and decided that the carpeted floor was much more interesting to look at. Sabrina did not have any close friends and Regis was always trying to get her to make some friends. Unfortunately, the bookkeeper was always too shy to talk to people and often spent her time alone. Now, however, she was beginning to venture out and attempt to make friends on her own instead of letting them come to her. Nothing was going to happen unless she made an effort to create long lasting friendships. Sure, she had a few acquaintances, but they were not her friends. Natalie was an acquaintance, but Sabrina wanted to change that. So, she had invited the girl to come over her place to watch her paint. Surprisingly, Natalie was free and did not have any plans and took up on her offer to come over to the lavish mansion.

The bookkeeper did not appreciate how the pink haired shipper was often sarcastic about things. Sabrina did not care to use sarcasm very often and it was rare when she used it. The dark haired girl believed that sarcasm was inappropriate at times and did not need to be used frequently. Natalie, however, thought otherwise about it. Sabrina did not comment on her feelings toward the other female's personality traits and felt that she had no right to. Besides, she feared that she may ruin their beginning friendship. Sabrina didn't want that.

"W-Well, the problem…" Sabrina returned her gaze back to her canvas, pushing thoughts of Natalie away. "…is that I do not think that…that this represents V-Vaughn…um…V-Vaughn's personality." The girl could feel her face burning with a blush and she pressed her palms into her cheeks in a futile attempt to get rid of the redness.

Natalie pursed her lips and frowned, viewing the painting in deep thought. "Eh? It doesn't represent Vaughn's personality?" she questioned, befuddled. "Uh…was it _supposed_ to represent Vaughn's personality?"

Sabrina bobbed her head in a nod. "Yes. It was." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, insecure.

"Isn't that an elaborately painted rainbow above a grassy hill with the sun setting?" Natalie asked, still studying the painting that Sabrina had created. It was an interesting painting to Natalie. It had a _lot_ of detail and the shipper began to believe that Sabrina had _real_ talent. The painting wasn't just a simple drawing, it was very _fine_ and looked as if it were painted by a very talented artist. "I don't think it represents Vaughn on the _outside_."

"What do you mean?" Sabrina turned around in her seat to face the other girl.

"I mean, it doesn't represent him on the _outside_ ," Natalie remarked, shrugging her shoulders and still appearing uninterested. "It _might_ represent him on the _inside_ though, but I don't know. I don't really know the guy all that much. All I know is that he's a cousin of Julia's."

Sabrina ruminated about what Natalie commented about. The black haired female brought her attention back to the painting and breathed deeply. It _was_ a possibility. Sabrina liked to believe that Vaughn was a very kind and sweet person deep down inside… _very_ deep down, and that he was just cold and withdrawn on the outside for some reason.

A smile started to form on Sabrina's lips and she almost giggled with joy. It wasn't so bad after all. Maybe Vaughn would like it. The thought of pleasing Vaughn made Sabrina's heart swell with pure happiness. Sabrina was definitely going to give it to Vaughn the next time she saw him. It was still in the morning. Vaughn would be leaving today and wouldn't be back until next week. Maybe she could catch him before his ship departed for the city? She hoped so.

"Hey, what's that?" Natalie asked, pointing a slender finger at something on the floor.

Sabrina turned her head to where Natalie was pointing and raised her eyebrows high, finding a pendant there with a broken chain. It was a beautiful pendant that had been given to Sabrina when she was a young child. Her mother had given it to her and it was very important to her. What in the world was it doing on the floor like that?

"Ah!" Sabrina hopped out of her chair and scooped up the pendant, holding it in her palms delicately. "Oh no! The chain is broken! It…it must have fallen off of my neck when I was roaming my room!"

"Looks like it," murmured Natalie, shrugging.

"It's…broken!" Sabrina felt like she was going to burst into tears of misery.

Natalie held up her hands. "Hey, it's cool. I'm sure someone could fix it. Oh, hey, didn't you have to go to breakfast with your cousin this morning?"

A gasp climbed out of Sabrina's mouth rapidly and she almost dropped the pendant. Without thinking, she grabbed the canvas, rolled it up, and then took off out of the room, fleeing the mansion as fast as she could.

Yesterday she and her cousin, Will, had agreed to spend more time with each other and had decided to have breakfast this morning. Will had been so gleeful when she agreed to do so, but now she wasn't going to see that happy smile on his face anymore. Sabrina felt so very bad. How on earth was she going to make it up to Will?

Just when tears were about to inhabit her eyes, Sabrina happened to hear a familiar voice from behind her. Ceasing her frantic trekking, Sabrina whirled around and could see Vaughn approaching her on the path. There was a blank expression glued to his face and he was holding something in his hand.

"V-Vaughn?" Sabrina stammered nervously, surprised that she was actually seeing him before he left for the city. Her heart started hammering against her chest like someone beating a drum frantically.

Vaughn did not speak as he stood before her. He stared at her for a long moment before reaching down and grabbing her free hand. Sabrina gasped softly from his touch and her entire face turned red, which Vaughn immediately noticed but did not comment on. Once he had her hand, he opened her hand and dropped something in her palm.

It was her pendant.

"You might have dropped this," voiced the cowboy, a grumpy look on his face. "Pay attention next time."

Sabrina shakily nodded her head, feeling like she was going to faint right then and there. Why did Vaughn make her feel this way? It was so aggravating! The bookkeeper closed her hand around the pendant and then opened it again, trying to see if the pendant was more broken than it was previously. The chain was still broken, but there was nothing else wrong with it. Sabrina gave a loud sigh of relief when she saw that.

"Must be important to you," Vaughn commented lowly, watching her reaction to the pendant.

"I-It is…th-thank you…" Sabrina stuttered, bringing her eyes to his. "Um…my mother gave it to me when…when I was little. It was before she left me and my father."

Vaughn was silent for a moment before opening his mouth and saying, "If it's that important to you, you should keep it safe." He cocked his head to the side and examined the pendant a little more. "Although the chain is broken…"

Sabrina blushed in embarrassment and closed her hand around the pendant once more, hiding it from Vaughn's wandering eyes. "U-Um, yeah," she squeaked out quietly, her heart still doing a frantic dance in her chest. "It's…it's been broken for a while; I can't…exactly fix it. I-I mean I've _tried_ , but it always ends up breaking again." She shook her head. "A-And my father doesn't know about it, so I-I can't ask him to fix it."

The silver haired man became silent once again, an unrecognizable look dancing along his facial features. To Sabrina, he appeared indifferent to her situation. His eyes conveyed no emotion at all and that same cold look was still evident on his face. It made her uncomfortable. Should she hand over the painting or go to Nick's Diner to see if her cousin was still there waiting for her? Vaughn wasn't saying anything at all and he was now just staring directly at her. Sabrina was about to take her leave, but Vaughn grasped her hand again, which made her face redden yet again.

"I can fix it," he mumbled, prying her fingers open to snag the pendant from her. "Give me a few seconds."

Sabrina's eyes widened in shock. "O-Okay…!"

Vaughn quickly got to work in repairing the broken chain on her pendant. Sabrina was so fascinated that she was just staring at him without shame. The man moved so fast that she was unable to keep up. When he was done, the pendant was as good as new and he gave it back to her.

A strong gladness swept through Sabrina's entire being and she could not fight off the enormous smile that dominated her face. "Oh, thank you so much, Vaughn," she talked gratefully. "I-I am surprised you managed to fix it so fast!"

A light shade of pink touched Vaughn's cheeks from her gushing and he grasped the brim of his hat, pulling it down so that it covered most of his face. "Don't mention it," he muttered out, sounding a little bit uncomfortable.

Sabrina smiled softly at him, no longer so nervous. She cradled the pendant in her hand, extremely grateful that Vaughn did something so sweet for her. "I-I really thank you from the bottom of my heart, Vaughn," she vociferated gently. "This…this pendant belonged to my mother before she gave it to me. It's the only keepsake I have of her. I-I don't know why she left my father and I. All I know is that…she moved far, far away."

Vaughn appeared to be even more uncomfortable by her explanation, but he slipped his hands into his pockets and shook his head. "I apologize for prying," he curtly stated.

"N-No…!" Sabrina vigorously shook her head from side to side. "I-It's uh…not your fault! Y-You weren't prying at all, I…I voluntarily told you that! Thank you, Vaughn! You helped me immensely!"

"Again, don't mention it…" Vaughn grumbled, exasperated. He knew she thanked him too many times now.

Sabrina suddenly thrust her other hand out, the one clutching the rolled up painting, at the male. She lowered her head and shut her eyes tight, exclaiming, "I made this painting for you!"

"Huh…?" Truly surprised, Vaughn reached out and took the painting from the raven haired girl. He held it for a few minutes until he decided to unroll it and examine it. "Oh…" he breathed, taken aback by how detailed the painting was.

"I-I wanted to paint you something…" Sabrina blubbered at a fast pace, her face flaring up like a volcano. She kept her eyes shut, unable to witness the expression on his face. "I-I just wanted to do something nice for you! I painted it t-to represent your personality! U-Um…!" Sabrina was now rambling and did not know what else to say. So, instead, she turned and fled with her head down low.

She was completely unaware that Vaughn was wearing the smallest of grins.


	5. Not One Bite

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter V: Not One Bite

* * *

While out on a stroll along the beach on Sprout Island, Denny and his little bird, Popper, happened to bump into a very ireful Lanna. It was unfortunate, but Denny did not mind. The only thing he minded was Lanna's attitude problem.

Denny was a fisherman by trade and always spent his mornings out on the ocean. He was a magnificent fisherman and often bragged about his awesome skills to his best friend, Mark. Denny loved challenges and he was a very optimistic and cheerful individual. Nobody ever saw this guy feeling down.

Anyway, Denny was out strolling along Sprout Island, which was where he lived, and ended up bumping into Lanna, like what was stated before. They were on the beach. Lanna was a former music idol and she moved to the island to take a break from her career. In addition to that, she enjoyed fishing. That was all Denny knew about her, but he thought that she was a pretty thing to look at it.

"Whoa, what's the problem?" Denny asked the girl as soon as he caught sight of the furious look her face was portraying. "Sorry for bumping into you, by the way. I hope it wasn't me who upset you…"

"No!" wailed Lanna, stomping her foot into the sand. "I am angry because I didn't catch a single fish today! I mean, I was out there for two whole hours and I didn't catch _anything_!"

Denny blew out a sigh of relief and scratched the back of his head, Popper taking a nap on his shoulder. "Well then, I'm glad it isn't anything major," he said through a light chuckle. "I thought someone did something to you or…something. Heh."

Lanna grew very revolted and her heinous expression only increased. Like a child having a fit, the golden haired woman crossed her arms and pursed her lips, eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "You can at least be a _little_ sympathetic!" she yelled. "I didn't catch _anything_! Didn't you hear me say that?" Now, she was almost screeching like a banshee.

The curly haired man rubbed his ears, raising an eyebrow at the former music idol. "You know, Lanna, fish aren't just going to let you catch them," he told her, seriousness lacing his voice. "Sometimes they won't even bite at all. I mean, _I_ even have days where I don't catch anything, and _I'm_ a fantastic fisherman!"

"Whatever," mumbled the fisherwoman, pressing one palm into her hip while keeping the same expression on her face. "Boast all you want, bird boy."

Denny threw back his head and released an unrestrained burst of laughter, waking Popper up from his nap. "I haven't heard _that_ one before." The dark skinned guy shook his head. "Ah, anyway, back to what I was saying. Fish aren't going to bite every time and I think that's what makes it more of a challenge, you know?"

"I guess that's a good way of thinking about it." Lanna sighed deeply, letting go of some of the anger she was experiencing. "If one could catch fish every day, it wouldn't be as fun, I suppose."

"Yeah, see?" Denny put his hands on his hips and whirled around to face the ocean, a huge grin spreading across his facial features.

Lanna couldn't stop the smile from curling her lips and she eyed him curiously. "You have an interesting way of thinking, Denny."

A confused look jumped onto the guy's features and he turned his head a little to capture her within his gaze. "Huh?"

Lanna rolled her eyes. "That was a compliment!"

"Oh…" Denny said, still a little flummoxed. "… _Oh_!" Then, a light shade of red dusted his face and he scratched his cheek, pretending to be more interested in the ocean.

"Denny!"

Flinching in mild surprise, the two individuals turned around to see Mark heading their way. There was a very distraught look dancing across his face and, when he reached them, he was completely out of breath. Lanna bid Denny farewell and said hi to Mark before taking her leave. Denny was disappointed that he didn't have her company anymore and he blamed it all on his best friend.

"Mark, what's up?" Denny questioned him, using his index finger to scratch Popper on top of his head. The little black bird cooed in happiness from the scratching he was receiving and Denny grinned at that. "Something wrong, pal?"

Mark straightened up and finally caught his breath. "Yeah! There's something terribly, terribly wrong!"

"Oh? And what might that be?" Denny wanted to know, cocking his head to the side like a curious cat.

"Chelsea is having breakfast with Will on his fancy yacht!" caterwauled the blond rancher, waving his hands frantically in the air.

Denny burst out laughing, clutching at his belly and almost doubling over. Popper, who was still on his shoulder, began squawking in laughter, flapping his little wings about. Mark just watched the two of them guffaw like there was no tomorrow. As their laughter got louder and louder, Mark only became agitated and beyond annoyed.

"Are you finished?" Mark demanded to know, clearly upset.

"Yeah, yeah." Denny wiped tears from his eyes and patted Popper on the head. "I'm done, I'm done. Wait, so, Chelsea is on Will's yacht having breakfast with him? That is so…funny."

Exasperated, Mark shook his head. "No, it's not, Denny! Don't you realize what that means for me?" he asked, seeming highly worried. "That means, well, Chelsea might fall for the guy!"

"Whoa, hey." Denny clamped his hands onto Mark's shoulders, shaking him. "I don't think it's a date, buddy. Did Will say it was a date or something to make you think that?"

"N-No…" grumbled the rancher.

"Then it's just a simple breakfast," concluded the fisherman, sending Mark an optimistic grin. "Everything's good. No need to worry about it."

Mark shrugged his hands off. "I can't just stop worrying about it, Denny! Anything could happen. And I really didn't like the way he was talking to her. He talked to her as if I wasn't there at all. _I_ didn't even get invited to have breakfast with them on his yacht!"

"Isn't Will with Lily?" Denny plopped down into the sand, getting comfortable. Mark was soon to follow, taking a seat right next to him.

"That's what I thought, but I think they're having complications in their relationship," answered the blond male, swaying his head from side to side in a shake. "Remember that vicious argument they had?"

Denny snapped his fingers, recalling that time. "Oh yeah! It happened at the diner. I didn't know what the heck was going on. All I heard was them throwing insults at each other. It was cray."

"Way cray," agreed Mark, nodding fervently.

"So…you think he's trying to get with Chelsea or something? You really think he's over Lily that quickly?" Denny questioned, a little concerned. Will was a friend of his and so was Lily. Denny had liked the two of them together.

Mark contemplated about that, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "I don't know. I honestly can't see Will getting over Lily that fast. Besides…it seemed like they were in love back then."

"You're right." Denny started messing around with the sand absentmindedly. "So there you have it. You have _nothing_ to worry about, Mark. Besides, I don't think Chelsea even _likes_ Will. Doesn't she have a thing for Vaughn or something?"

"Yeah, she does…" Mark chattered forlornly. "Unfortunately for me."

Denny offered him a sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry about that, Mark."

The blond just shrugged, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He rested his chin atop them and lost himself within his thoughts. Denny was saying something to him, but he was too deep in his thoughts to make out the words that were coming out of his mouth.

What if he _never_ had a chance with Chelsea? What if Vaughn ended up losing interest in Sabrina and dumping all of his interest onto Chelsea? Mark knew that if Chelsea had that chance, she would not hesitate to take it. That thought scared Mark to no end and he felt like he was going to be sick. It would hurt if Chelsea ended up with Vaughn somehow or any other person. There were quite a few guys that Chelsea could get with on Sunshine Islands. Would he only be a friend to her and nothing more? Mark wanted to tell her how he felt about her, but he thought that it wasn't quite appropriate. It just made him feel really stupid. Plus, he definitely didn't want to be rejected by her.

"Mark!"

Blinking countless times, the blond snapped out of his thoughts and moved his eyes so that he was looking at his best buddy again. "Huh? What's wrong?" he asked him.

"You spaced out!" exclaimed Denny, amusement coloring his face. "What? Were you having fantasies about Chelsea or something?"

"What? _No_!" Mark's face turned red. "What gave you _that_ idea?!"

"I don't know…you had this weird look on your face…" trailed Denny, trying desperately not to start laughing.

Mark shoved him. "So? Doesn't mean I was having fantasies about Chelsea! That's just…that's just so _wrong_! I would never have fantasies about her!"

Denny rolled his eyes, incredulous. "Sure. Like you've never imagined what it would feel like kissing her or holding her or watching the sunset with her and all that mushy love stuff!" The fisherman snickered after that, shaking his head.

The male rancher's face was as red as a tomato by now. It was all true. Mark had imagined all of that and he often daydreamed about Chelsea. He would always feel super ashamed afterward, but he couldn't stop himself. Those thoughts corrupted his mind like an infectious poison that he could not get rid of. Mark was so glad that nobody could read his mind. Unfortunately, it seemed Denny _could_.

"Cut it out!" yawped the blond haired guy. "I-I don't imagine stupid stuff like that!"

"Sure. I believe you," Denny sarcastically threw in.

Mark climbed to his feet and dusted the sand off of his pants, face still crimson. "Fine! I bet you were getting real cozy with Lanna before I came over here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Denny tilted his head back to look up at him from the ground.

"You know what I mean," Mark responded knowingly. "Your face was a little red when you were talking to her. What were you guys talking about?"

Denny looked away from him. "You know, stuff."

"Stuff like love?" Mark jested.

"I don't like her like that…if that's what you're insinuating," talked the optimistic individual.

A chuckle seeped out of Mark's mouth. "Well, I'm not insinuating anything. I'm only stating a _fact_."

"Well, ya got your facts all wrong, pal!" Denny jumped to his feet, poking Mark in the chest with his finger. "I do _not_ fancy Lanna. At all. Period."

Mark chortled. "Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that."

Merriment danced within Denny's eyes and he took a step back away from Mark. "Alright, alright," he said, accepting defeat. "Maybe I do kind of like her, but I certainly do not love her. She's cool."

"Lanna and Denny sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G!" sang Mark, triumphant. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then you'll end up with a baby carri-"

Denny playfully shoved his friend. "Oh, quiet!"

"Okay, okay," commented Mark, laughing a little bit. "Anyway, what do you want to do? I have nothing to do right now. And I don't want to think about what Will and Chelsea are doing on that fancy yacht."

"They're probably eating breakfast, Mark." Denny rolled his eyes once again, putting his hands behind his head in an aloof manner. "Eh, I didn't have breakfast yet. I might go to the diner and grab a bite to eat. Did you have breakfast yet or no?"

Mark folded his arms over his chest. "Well, I had an apple, but that's it."

"Then you're coming with me to the diner to eat something." Denny started trekking in the direction of Verdure Island. "Come on, Mark! Nick's Diner awaits us!"

"Coming!" Mark announced, hurrying to catch up with his good friend.

Denny's optimism was something that Mark found very pleasing. It was always pleasant to hang around the fisherman. He was always cheerful and he managed to get negative stuff out of his mind. Sure, the guy teased him and everything, but he was a very kind person.


	6. Breakfast With Will On His Yacht

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter VI: Breakfast With Will On His Yacht

* * *

With a great amount of unease and a smidge bit of reluctance, the brunette reached over and wrapped her hand around the glass of hot milk. She watched the white liquid for a few seconds, contemplating. Then, with a sigh of acceptance, the rancher tipped her head back and gulped down half of the delicious hot milk. The warm substance slithered down her throat leisurely and made a home within her belly. Chelsea enjoyed drinking hot milk because it always made her relax and get comfortable. It always gave her a warm feeling inside and made her stomach swell with happiness. Without her consent, a dreamy-like smile formed on her lips and her eyes became half-lidded.

"It's good, yes?" Will's voice penetrated her ruminations. The blond male was sitting across from her at the table where they were dining. They were both inside of the cabin of his yacht. Mostly everything was a blood red inside and the sofas that they occupied were very comfy.

A little embarrassed because of her goofy expression, and because the rich male noticed, the female rancher let out a soft, sheepish guffaw. She brought a hand up and rubbed the back of her neck, setting the glass of hot milk down onto the table next to her plate of breakfast. "Ah, yes," she answered after she calmed down. "It's _really_ good, actually. In fact, it's the best I've ever had! Where'd you get it?"

Will chuckled softly behind closed lips. When his muffled laughter ceased, he opened his mouth and talked, "That, my lady, is a secret. And it will remain a secret for as long as you live." A massive smile stretched the handsome man's lips after his speech and he reached down, plucking his fork from his plate of tomato salad. He shoveled some of the salad onto his fork and then shoved the food into his mouth, savoring the flavor the stuff had to offer him.

"For as long as I live?" Chelsea put on an amused look, unable to get rid of the smile that was now spreading across her face. The female glanced down at her own food, which was a bowl of egg soup and a plate of herb salad. It wasn't something she'd usually have for breakfast, but it was really good. It might be something she would have for lunch or dinner, but not for breakfast. Still, the girl wasn't complaining and was grateful for a filling breakfast.

The egg soup was the best thing on the table at the moment. Chelsea couldn't get enough of it. The stuff was almost all gone and Chelsea worried about that. Would she still be desiring more after the bowl was empty? Chelsea didn't want to ask Will for more, she didn't want to appear greedy. Besides, it was nice enough for the wealthy man to invite her for breakfast upon his yacht in the first place. She definitely did not want to take advantage of his kindness.

"For as long as you live," Will echoed elegantly, slowly finishing up his tomato salad. Once it was gone, he began working on his rolled omelet and his beverage, some orange juice. "So, how are you enjoying your feast, my lady? Everything is cooked nicely, I assume? If not, I'll have my cooks bring in better cooked food for you." Will was eyeing her closely now as he gobbled up his meal.

Chelsea quickly waved a hand at him. "Oh no! It's fine. Everything's great!" Not wanting him to think otherwise, Chelsea picked up her bowl of egg soup and consumed the rest in one go. When she was done, she used the back of her hand to wipe her wet mouth. She sent him a colorful simper after that and hungrily began to finish devouring her herb salad.

"Good. I'm glad…my lady." Will seemed immensely pleased with her actions and her words.

Wincing slightly from the phrase 'my lady', the rancher continued to eat the rest of her food, saving the rest of her hot milk for last. She was beginning to get a little uncomfortable with Will calling her that all the time. Well, it wasn't just _her_ he said that to, but still. It made her uncomfortable. Plus, she felt highly underdressed inside of Will's fancy yacht and she still could not figure out why Will wanted to have breakfast with her and not anyone else. Why couldn't Mark come along? Chelsea believed that she would have been more at ease if he was sitting next to her. It wouldn't have seemed so awkward either.

Ruminating about her best friend, Chelsea became a little discombobulated. Mark behaved like he really did not want her to have breakfast with Will on his yacht. The brunette could not fathom why the blond wouldn't want her to go. The poor guy seemed flustered and upset about it, even though he really didn't show it all that much. Chelsea was aware and she knew how Mark was. They've been friends for a while now and they were really close. Heck, they lived on Ranch Island together! Chelsea knew about his flaws and the good qualities about him and Mark knew hers in return. They hung out frequently and, honestly, Mark could read her like a book.

Trying to grasp the concept of why Mark did not want her to have breakfast with Will, Chelsea started to notice that Will was now done with his breakfast and was just sitting there watching her, a thoughtful expression on his face. Chelsea began to wonder just what was on his mind and why he was watching her like that. It made her a little nervous.

"So, um…" Chelsea spoke after completing her meal. She took a sip of her hot milk and leaned back in her comfy seat. "How _is_ Lily doing? I haven't seen her in a long while." The brunette suddenly remembered how Will got agitated when Mark mentioned the treasure hunter and she instantly regretted the words that had exited her mouth.

Will's entire body stiffened up and he folded his hands neatly in his lap, face going blank. However, his eyes contained unhidden emotions. There were too many emotions for Chelsea to decipher, so she was left not knowing what exactly he was feeling at the moment. It was clear that he did not want to speak about Lily though.

"She's fine," he responded shortly, turning his face away from the rancher and putting his eyes on something else inside of his cabin. "Don't know where she is, unfortunately. And I don't care where she is, to be honest."

Shock coursed through Chelsea's veins and she was sure that it was showing on her face too. "H-Huh? You don't care where she is?" she asked, disbelief coating her tone.

"No, I don't." Will looked at her again, lips in a straight line and face still blank.

Chelsea lowered her gaze to her lap, clutching her glass of hot milk with both hands. "Um…why don't you care, if you don't mind me asking?"

"You ask a lot of questions," input Will sourly, grimacing. He removed himself from his sofa and slipped his hands into his pockets, pacing around the area.

"I-I'm sorry!" Chelsea apologized as fast as she could. "I didn't mean to pry, I'm just…worried." And that was the truth. Will and Lily were both her friends and she held heavy concern for the both of them.

Will gazed at her, emotions unrecognizable. "You're worried? About me?"

"I'm worried about you _and_ Lily," replied the rancher, taking another sip of her hot milk. "Um…what happened between you two? I'm sorry for prying again, and you don't have to tell me, but I wish to know."

The gentleman was silent for a long while, deciding whether or not to convey that kind of information to a friend. Eventually, he trotted over to where Chelsea sat and took her hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. Immediately, Chelsea's face heated up and she resisted the urge to snatch her hand back. What in the world was Will doing? Why was he kissing her hand?!

"Maybe you should ask _her_ that," he said in a tone that had ire. He gently released Chelsea's hand and put on a polite smile. "It was very nice having you for breakfast, Chelsea. Would you mind having dinner with me tonight?"

Chelsea stared at him, completely dumbfounded. _What is Will thinking? What about Lily? Gosh! I just have to find out what happened between those two and somehow get them back together!_ The brunette thought frantically, feeling perspiration cover her skin. It suddenly got very hot in Will's cabin inside of his fancy yacht. Just when Chelsea opened her mouth to give the regal blond a negative answer to his query, the doors to the cabin burst open and Sabrina trampled in.

"Will!" Sabrina wailed as loud as she could, coming to a stop in front of the male and breathing deeply. There was a very distraught expression painting her features and her face was flushed.

"My dearest cousin," began Will, eyebrows shooting up in heavy concern. "Whatever is the matter? Why do you look so flushed?"

Sabrina's face turned even redder at that and she shook her head. "Th-That doesn't matter! Will, I-I am so sorry! I forgot about having breakfast with you at Nick's Diner!" she exclaimed, sounding really bad. "I-I feel so bad, Will! P-Please forgive me!"

Will pulled her into an embrace, trying to calm his relative down. "Oh, don't even bother apologizing, Sabrina. It's fine. We can have lunch together instead later. And of course I forgive you!"

Sabrina hugged him back, sniffling. "R-Really?"

"Of course!" Will pulled away from her, giving her a kind smile. "Why wouldn't I forgive my own cousin? Besides, Chelsea kept me company for breakfast."

Astonished, Sabrina whirled around to face the brunette rancher, eyes enlarging due to the fact that Chelsea was present. "O-Oh!" she squeaked. "Hello, Chelsea!"

"Hi." Chelsea waved dully.

"She was quite the company too." Will smiled brightly in Chelsea's direction fondly. "She is very enjoyable to be around. I am quite fond of her."

"You…are?" Sabrina questioned, fixing her glasses.

Will bobbed his head in a short nod. "I am. Isn't that right, my lady?" he asked the dark brown haired individual.

"Um, yeah…" Chelsea muttered uncomfortably. The female did not want to be around Sabrina or Will any longer. Being around Sabrina reminded her of the fact that she probably would never have a chance with Vaughn. Being around Will made her uncomfortable. Chelsea mentally vowed to get Will and Lily back together so that Will would stop bothering her. "I'm gonna go. Thank you so much for breakfast, Will."

"You're very welcome," Will commented, grinning widely. "Dinner tonight, right?"

Chelsea's face paled. "Well, I-"

"Splendid!" Will cut her off before she could give him a proper reply. He clapped his hands gleefully. "Have a safe trip home, Chelsea! Looking forward to seeing you for dinner tonight! Anyway." He turned back to his cousin. "How is Uncle Regis doing this morning?"

Sabrina stuttered out, "O-Oh, he's d-doing well!"

Chelsea did not hear the rest of their conversation because she fled the yacht and did not look back. As soon as she got outside, there was a strong breeze and it almost knocked her off of the boat and into the ocean below. Shaking her head, she hurried off of the boat and onto the dock, but then stopped. She could see a ship off to the side, the one that would take passengers back to the city. It was then she recalled that Vaughn would be departing today and won't be back until next week. The thought saddened her, but she forced those negative feelings away and kept an eye out for the cowboy.

When she finally caught sight of him, Chelsea wasted no time in approaching him. She had to gather a massive amount of courage first, but she was able to do it in time. The silver haired individual was standing on the dock along with a few other people, clutching a rolled up paper in his hand. There was a cold look on his face, as usual.

"Hi, Vaughn!" Chelsea greeted him with a friendly smile. "You leaving already?"

Vaughn seemed caught off guard by her sudden appearance because his eyes widened a little. When he got over it, his features returned to its frosty state. He gave her a short nod. "Yeah, I am."

"Well, that's too bad…" Chelsea remarked quietly, putting her hands behind her back. "Uh, what's that you got there?" she wanted to know, eyeing the rolled up paper in his hand.

"This?" Vaughn lifted it up a little. "It's a painting."

"A painting?" Chelsea mimicked.

"That's what I just said," Vaughn irritably talked, lowering the object. "Do I really have to repeat myself?"

Annoyance flashed across Chelsea's face and she crossed her arms. "No. Sorry. Did you do that yourself or something?"

"No," stated Vaughn bluntly. "Sabrina did."

Chelsea felt like her heart stopped. "S-Sabrina did?"

A vexed expression planted itself upon the livestock dealer's face and he growled a little. "Do you always have to repeat everything I say?"

"No," Chelsea said, face going red due to embarrassment. "Sorry."

"I have to go," Vaughn spoke, walking past her and toward the boat. "I'm going to miss my ride back to the city if I keep talking to you."

Chelsea stood there, mouth agape. So many emotions were floating about her being, taunting her, and she detested it. She balled her hands into fists at her sides and then called out to the cold character, "Vaughn, do you still want a baby chick?!"

Vaughn stopped for a moment, looking over his shoulder at her. "Yeah?"

"Okay! When you come back next week, stop by my ranch and you can pick one out!" Chelsea told him, trying to force the horrible feeling away that was building up in the pit of her stomach.

"Alright." Vaughn removed his eyes from her and resumed his trekking, acting done with her.

"Wait!" Chelsea yelled once more, grabbing his attention. When the man turned around to look at her again, he seemed highly miffed. The rancher decided to ignore the look on his face and threw on a determined expression. "D-Do you want to have a cup of coffee or something at the café when you come back next week?"

Vaughn hesitated before saying, "Sure."

Chelsea did not stop the huge smile that jumped onto her face and she waved at him enthusiastically. "Okay, cool! Have a safe trip, Vaughn!"

Vaughn tipped his hat to her before boarding the ship, not saying anything more. The rancher watched his boat leave, hope swelling deep within her heart.

Maybe she _did_ have a chance?


	7. Dessert

**Author's Note:** Hey, thanks for the reviews.

* * *

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter VII: Dessert

* * *

Placing his hands behind his head in a highly casual manner, Mark breathed out a deep sigh. Denny was beside him, chattering about how much fish he caught today. The duo was still heading to Verdure Island to go to Nick's Diner for some breakfast. Well, breakfast was almost over, so they might be getting lunch instead. Mark didn't mind. As long as his stomach was satisfied, he was cool with it. As he continued to think about food, his belly took that time to start complaining and his face reddened with mild embarrassment. He glanced at Denny to see if the fisherman noticed and was greatly disappointed to see an entertained smirk decorating the male's face.

"Someone's hungry!" Denny chirped like a bird on a beautiful morning. "Looks like that apple wasn't enough. See? Just like I said, M!"

Mark pursed his lips. "M?"

"Yep!" Denny grinned from ear to ear. "I'm calling you M now since it's so much shorter than Mark."

"Mark _is_ short!" Mark fumed, throwing his hands up in the air with an enormous amount of incredulity.

Denny shook his head as they finally reached Nick's Diner. "Not to me." He held the door open for the blond. "Now, come on! I'm starving!"

Mark was about to retaliate with an agitated retort, but stopped himself suddenly because he saw someone approaching them from a distance. It was Chelsea. The male's breath got stuck in his throat because he realized there was a very beautiful smile present on the female's face. Chelsea seemed totally delighted about something and Mark had a bad feeling that it had something to do with Will. Had their breakfast on his yacht gone _that_ well? The poor blond began to feel sick in his stomach as he thought about the various things that could have happened between Will and Chelsea.

"Chelsea!" Denny cheered as soon as he saw her. "What brings you here? Heard you had breakfast with the rich guy, Will. How'd that go?"

"Oh, it went well," Chelsea responded, shrugging.

Mark fiddled around with his fingers. "Is that why you look so happy?" he questioned her, downcast.

Chelsea's eyes lit up and she rapidly shook her head. Her lips curled into a jovial smile. "No, that's not why! I talked to Vaughn before he left Sunshine Islands!"

"Oh?" Mark's mood darkened. "About?"

"I asked Vaughn if he wanted to get a cup of coffee with me next week at the Haila's Café and he said yes!" Chelsea exclaimed in pure elation. "Isn't that great, Mark? Maybe I really do have a chance with him after all, despite him having an interest in Sabrina!"

Mark was quiet for a long time. He just stared at Chelsea as if she were an alien from another planet. His heart sank to the darkest depths of his being and the little hope he had left simmered down to a baby flame. The male rancher tried to keep away his negative feelings, but they were too strong. Mark wasn't even going to say anything to Chelsea's excited statement, but Denny discreetly elbowed him in the ribs to get him to say something and not just be silent the entire time. Chelsea was clearly waiting for an equally excited response from him.

"That's…great, Chelsea." Mark forced a big smile.

Chelsea was blind to how fake his smile was and she leaned forward, wrapping him up in an embrace. "It _is_ great, Mark! I can't wait until next week comes around!"

"Yeah…" muttered Mark, reluctantly returning her hug. Mark had been highly famished before, but now he felt like he had to throw up. He wasn't hungry anymore.

"Chelsea, do you want to join Mark and I for breakfast?" Denny asked with a cheerful grin. "I mean, I know you already had your breakfast, but we didn't. Would you like to join us anyway?"

Chelsea beamed at him, letting go of Mark. "Sure! I don't have anything else to do today. I took care of my crops and animals, so all is good."

"Great!" Denny held open the door for both Chelsea and Mark. The two of them ventured inside and Denny let the door shut on its own. When they were all in, the place was crowded with people that were there for a late breakfast. Some were there waiting for lunchtime to arrive. Others were just there to hang out with their friends at the tables. Denny found one table that was open and brought Mark and Chelsea over to it. "What do you want, Mark? And Chelsea, do you want anything? I'll order everything for you guys."

Mark forlornly glanced at his buddy. "Um…I just want roasted corn and fish sticks, please." The guy decided to get something to eat anyway. He didn't want Chelsea to think there was something wrong with him. He didn't want to ruin her happiness with his depression.

"Alright then!" Denny placed his gaze on a jolly Chelsea. "What about you, Chelsea? Still hungry or do you want something to drink?"

"I'll have some blueberry juice!" Chelsea chirped in response, an enormous grin occupying her facial features.

Denny returned her grin, turning back to Mark. "Want anything to drink, M?"

"Water…" mumbled Mark, not looking at the fisherman. He was too busy drawing imaginary circles atop the table with his finger.

Denny gave Mark a concerned look before nodding and hurrying off. He was planning on paying for all of their meals. He didn't care what they would say afterward. The guy knew that the both of them would throw a fuss because he paid for their food. Denny wasn't going to have it though. One time, when the three of them went to eat something together, they all argued over who was going to be paying for their meals.

When Denny reached the front counter, Nick was behind it waiting. The guy was wiping down the counter and he offered a friendly simper when Denny showed up. "Hey, Denny. Good to see you," the man said happily. "What can I get you?"

"Good to see you too, Nick!" Denny greeted him back, Popper taking a nap on his shoulder. "Uh, let's see if I can remember everything. Um, I think Mark wanted roasted corn and fish sticks, along with some water. Chelsea just wanted some blueberry juice. I want some sashimi and Popper here would like a curry bun."

Nick was busy jotting all of that down on a notepad. "Is that all you want?" he asked.

"Yeah," Denny replied.

Nick grinned and told Denny the price, which Denny paid without hesitation. When that was all done, Nick left to go prepare the orders and Denny sat down in front of the counter, placing his elbows on it.

The fisherman started to think about Mark. He was not oblivious to Mark's negative feelings toward the information that Chelsea had given them. It seemed like Chelsea was completely unaware of how Mark felt about her, which was disappointing. Denny wanted Mark to tell Chelsea about his feelings, but he knew that wasn't going to happen any time soon. Mark already told him about how he feared getting rejected by Chelsea. Despite Mark's fears, Denny still believed that the blond needed to tell her how he felt before it was too late. Denny made a mental note to convince Mark to do just that.

Peering around the crowded diner, Denny was surprised to find out that Lanna was present among the fray of colorful individuals. The former music idol was sitting at a table by herself, enjoying a tableful of desserts! Seriously, her entire table was covered in numerous desserts! Denny's eyes got big as he removed himself from his seat and approached the golden haired girl's table.

"How can you eat so much?" Denny demanded to know, shock still written on his face. He stopped in front of her table, pressing his palms into his hips as he watched the girl stuff her face with chocolate chip cookies. Lanna jerked her head up to gaze at him, her cheeks puffed out from how much cookies she had forced into her mouth.

"Denny!" the former music idol exclaimed with her mouth full. There was a gladness about her that Denny found to be satisfying. "Did you come to eat breakfast with me?"

"Breakfast?" The fisherman gave her a look of disbelief, watching her shove a slice of cheesecake into her already full mouth. "All I see are desserts!" And that was true. Every single thing on the table was desserts, nothing more. Denny eyed the female again in great wonder. How could she eat all of that and not gain any weight at all?

The fisherwoman managed to swallow everything in her mouth and simpered at the male, cutting herself another slice of cheesecake. "I just felt like eating everything sweet for breakfast. Is that so wrong?" she retaliated, biting into the next slice of cheesecake and humming in delight.

"There's nothing wrong with it," Denny told her, shaking his head and leaning forward, putting his hands on the table. "But why do you have to eat so much of it?! I don't understand that! This is _way_ too much desserts!"

Lanna rolled her eyes and pointed her fork at him. "There's always room for dessert! Besides, I can eat as much as I want of it. You can't say anything to make me change my mind!"

Denny narrowed his eyes and smirked at her. "Oh yeah? Well, what if it gets you fat?"

Lanna snorted. "It's not like I do this _all_ the time."

"Still can get fat," threw in Denny, chuckling.

"Would you knock it off?" Lanna retorted through a huff, becoming annoyed. "You're just jealous because _you'll_ get fat if you eat all these desserts!"

Denny scoffed, waving a hand at her. "I don't want to eat just desserts! Besides, I like to eat healthy. I only have treats like this on special occasions."

Lanna ceased her eating to ponder for a moment. She contemplated on what the curly haired man said and pursed her lips. When she stopped her thinking, she ended up smiling at Denny and asked, "How about I bake you a cake, Denny?"

"Huh?" Denny straightened up, staring at her. "You…want to bake me a cake?"

Lanna nodded vigorously. "Sure! I'll bake you a cake. If I bring it over to your house, then it'll be a special occasion."

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Denny felt his cheeks burning and a small smile found its way onto his face.

"Yeah," answered Lanna a bit timidly, avoiding his gaze. All of a sudden she seemed shy. "Of course."

"Then I'll accept your cake proposal!" Denny was really happy about this.

Unable to stay there any longer because of how he was feeling, Denny waved at her and hurried back over to the front counter to see if their meals were ready. As he did, he couldn't stop thinking about Lanna and how kind she was.

Back at the table with Chelsea and Mark, Chelsea was in the process of telling Mark about Will's behavior when they were eating breakfast together on his fancy yacht. "…and he got upset when I mentioned Lily. Mark, we have to do something about those two. I need to find Lily and question her about what happened. Will wouldn't tell me anything."

"Well…I haven't seen Lily in a long time," Mark said, resting his chin in his palm. "Two weeks, I think."

"She might be so sad right now," Chelsea talked, feeling even more concerned. "We have to find her and talk to her about her and Will's relationship. Ah, shoot…we probably won't be able to do that today though."

Mark viewed her with his eyes. "And why not?"

"I'm supposed to have dinner with Will tonight on his yacht," Chelsea admitted, dropping her face in her hands. "I don't want to go, but I really don't have a choice. I didn't even get a chance to decline his offer!"

"What? _Why_?!" Mark exclaimed, becoming distressed. "Is he forcing you to have dinner with him tonight or something?!" The male rancher was becoming even more upset with each passing second.

Chelsea shook her head. "No. He's not forcing me. I just…never got a chance to decline."

"Then go tell him you don't want to have dinner with him tonight," Mark growled, doing his best not to get so emotional. He didn't want Chelsea to assume that he was angry about this.

The brunette shook her head for the second time. "I can't. That would be too mean."

" _How_?!" Mark yawped.

"Hey, guys," spoke a new voice.

Mark lifted his eyes and saw Julia and Natalie standing by their table. Julia had her hands on her hips and looked as beautiful and attractive as ever. Natalie had her arms crossed over her chest, one eyebrow raised high in curiosity. "What are you guys doing here?" Mark wanted to know.

"Breakfast, duh." Natalie rolled her eyes at the blond, sitting down next to him in a chair.

"Chelsea!" Julia threw her arms around the red bandana wearing woman. "It's _so_ good to see you! We should hang out more, girl!"

Chelsea hugged her back, laughing a little bit. "Yeah, yeah. We should. Sorry I haven't been able to visit you lately, Julia. How are you and Elliot doing?"

"We're doing just fine!" Julia released Chelsea and sat down next to her. "Did you know that we're engaged now?"

"E-Engaged?!" Chelsea yelped, eyes getting big

Julia nodded proudly. "Yup! We're getting married in the summer." The blond woman showed the brunette a blue feather, smirking as she did. "You should've seen Elliot's face when he told me he wanted to marry me! He was so cute and nervous about it!"

"That's great, Julia!" Mark was totally baffled by how Elliot had the courage to propose to Julia, but he couldn't even tell Chelsea that he liked her. How did that make him look? It made him look like a pathetic fool. Mark slumped down in his seat and began to think that he was just hopeless. Elliot had more guts than he did! What did he have? _Nothing_!

Natalie noticed the shocked look on Mark's face. "Yeah. I was shocked too when I found out." The pink haired girl shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Didn't know my brother had it in him."

"I know right?!" Julia added.

"Wow, Julia." Chelsea was staring at the attractive woman in awe. "You're really getting married?"

"Yup!" Full of elation, Julia waved the blue feather around. "In the summer."

"Next they're gonna be popping out babies," Natalie murmured with a mirthful grin.

Julia's face turned crimson. "Be quiet, Natalie!"

"What? It's the truth!" Natalie yapped.

Denny suddenly decided to show up, having their meals. "Hey, I'm back!" The fisherman sat Mark's food in front of him and gave Chelsea her blueberry juice. After that, he plopped down in his chair with his and Popper's food and instantly started eating. He didn't even acknowledge Natalie and Julia.

"Denny, Julia is getting married!" Mark was still in shock. "Elliot proposed to her!"

Denny almost spat out his food. "What?!"

"It's true!" inserted Natalie. "I was shocked when I found out too. My brother isn't such a wimp after all!"

"That's…that's…!" Denny was speechless.

Julia smiled at him. "It's wonderful. We're getting married in the summer."

"That's…great!" Denny bellowed loudly. "I'm definitely going to be there!"

"We all are," Chelsea confirmed with a soft smile.

Julia beamed at all of them, appreciating that.


	8. An Unfortunate Misunderstanding

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter VIII: An Unfortunate Misunderstanding

* * *

"So, where do you think Lily could be?" queried Mark, glancing at Chelsea beside him as the two of them took a stroll together. It was now in the deep evening, almost time for dinner. When they were at the diner earlier, they all had a good time. Mark had even started to feel better and forgot about Chelsea's future outing with Vaughn next week. Mark was kind of excited for Julia and Elliot's wedding in the summer and wondered what it would be like. He had never been to a wedding before and would like to experience something like that. Mark wondered who Elliot was going to pick for his best man.

Denny left them earlier, saying that he was going back to Sprout Island to his shack to take a nap and probably do some more fishing. Well, before that, Denny had pulled him off to the side and had tried to convince him to tell Chelsea about his feelings. Mark was quick to say no about that. He wasn't ready to convey that type of information to Chelsea. Denny tried for a little while longer before giving up entirely. They said goodbye to each other and Mark promised that they would hang out again soon. Natalie and Julia left together. Natalie claimed that she needed to help her grandfather and mother out with the shipping. In addition to that, Natalie confessed that she was supposed to go to Pierre's house to taste some of his cooking after that. Julia told them that she had to go because she and Elliot were going to spend some time together. Mark was absolutely jealous when Julia told him that, but nobody noticed. Mark wished he could do things like that with Chelsea. If only she did not like Vaughn.

"Where do I think Lily could be?" Chelsea repeated his question, putting her hands behind her back and staring up at the sky. She watched the colors of evening, seeing the beautiful clouds roll on by. There still was a strong breeze and the brunette worried that there might be a typhoon. The last typhoon that Sunshine Islands had was a year ago and it was a complete disaster! All of her crops had been ruined and her animals were in deep distress. Mark had to help her fix everything when that happened and Chelsea had been in such a bad mood. "Maybe she's on Volcano Island?"

"Why Volcano Island?" questioned Mark.

"Well, Lily likes to hang out there. She's a treasure hunter and she likes to search for treasure there." Chelsea removed her gaze from the sky and brought a hand to her chin, thinking deeply on the matter. "Now that I think about it, Will likes it there too."

Mark raised his eyebrows. "He does?"

"Uh huh." Chelsea nodded. "Because he's associated with Regis' mining company."

"Oh. That's right." Mark scratched his cheek. "Then that means all we have to do is go to Volcano Island and see if Lily is there."

Chelsea glanced at him. "Yeah."

Their conversation ended right there and they continued trekking in a comfortable silence. Mark secretly watched his best friend from the corner of his eye, admiring her appearance. The way her dark brown hair danced in the wind made his heart flutter. Her blue eyes were full of wonder and thought and he literally could lose himself in them. Mark had the strong desire to reach out and run his fingers through her hair, but he restrained himself. Chelsea would think he was nuts if he tried that.

Mark wanted to do all sorts of things with the female rancher. The guy wanted to hold her close and keep her safe. He wanted to tell her how much he adored her and how much he appreciated her. Mark wanted to let her know that he would always be there for her whenever she needed him and that he was her rock. He wanted to kiss her and give her lots of hugs. He just wanted to spend all of his time with her.

 _Maybe Denny's right._ He thought, still watching Chelsea as they headed to Volcano Island. _Maybe I should tell Chelsea how I feel about her before it's too late. But I doubt she even knows that I have any feelings for her. Her mind is too occupied with thoughts of Vaughn. She seemed so happy when she told me that she and Vaughn were going to have a cup of coffee together next week at Haila's Café._

The blond character ceased his secret watching and shoved his hands into the pockets of his overalls. A terrible sadness crept into his heart and lingered there, unwilling to leave its new home. Mark found telling Chelsea how he felt about her to be highly frightening. Mark didn't want to be rejected and he definitely didn't want to ruin their friendship. They had a wonderful friendship right now and he was content with it. However, becoming something more made him even happier. Mark was totally sure that his world would end if Chelsea rejected him and ended their friendship all because he told her how he felt about her.

"Mark? Mark!"

Mark abruptly snapped out of his ruminations, turning his head to look at Chelsea. The woman was watching him closely, her hand on his shoulder. "What? Did something happen?" Mark asked her, starting to get worried.

Chelsea laughed. "No, nothing happened! We reached Volcano Island! You weren't paying attention at all, Mark. You…kind of spaced out."

"Oh, gosh…" Mark's face was now on fire from embarrassment. "Sorry about that, Chels."

"It's no problem." Chelsea shrugged and took her hand off of his shoulder. After that, she peered around the area. "Do you see Lily anywhere?"

Mark pushed away his embarrassment and focused on the task, surveying their surroundings with his eyes. "No, I don't. Do you really think she could be here? I mean, she's been gone for _two weeks_."

"Yeah, I've been gone for two weeks, but that doesn't mean I'm dead or missing." A voice touched their ears like a soothing melody.

Mark jumped and Chelsea flinched terribly from surprise. They were not expecting to hear that voice and they were definitely not expecting to witness Lily so soon. The dark haired woman was approaching them, looking as beautiful as ever. She wore a small smile, but the smile never reached her eyes.

"Lily!" yammered Mark.

"Lily, it's good to see you again!" tossed in Chelsea.

Lily stopped before them. "Good to see you again too, Chelsea, Mark." She examined the both of them casually. "You two seem rather jovial today."

"You think so?" Mark muttered, confused.

Lily hummed in response, nodding. "Quite vivacious, actually. Did something pleasing occur?"

"Vivacious?" A flummoxed expression danced about Mark's features.

Chelsea stepped forward. "Um, yeah. Well, kind of. Anyway, Lily, I have to talk to you about something!"

"What is it?" Lily's face became guarded.

"What happened between you and Will?" Chelsea decided to get straight to the point.

Lily's features were distorted by choleric rage by how rude Chelsea sounded just now. A few other negative emotions flittered across the lovely woman's face, but then she sighed in defeat and turned away from them, crossing her arms over her chest in a firm fold. "Well, if you desire to know so badly, Will asked me to marry him."

"Whoa, what?" Mark caterwauled in astonishment. "Will asked you to _marry_ him?!"

" _That's_ why you guys got into an argument in Nick's Diner two weeks ago?!" Chelsea blared, her tone soaked in disbelief.

Lily slowly shook her head, a sadness settling over her pretty face. "That is not the reason why our argument started," she answered their questions. "The reason for our dreadful argument was because I have reason to believe that the impudent fool had cheated on me before he asked me to marry him."

Mark sputtered. " _Cheated_ on you?! Will? _Cheating_? I find that hard to believe!" And he did with all his heart. Will was noble and a true gentleman toward the opposite gender and Mark just could not see Will being a cheater.

"What…" Chelsea uttered softly, dread filling her entire being. " _Who_ did he cheat on you with?"

"That ignorant woman, Julia," answered Lily in a gruff voice, obviously still upset and wounded from what happened. "I…saw the two of them together on the beach the night before Will asked me to marry him. They were speaking in very low voices, being very secretive. I saw them together a few other times before that too in various places on the islands. They…appeared as though they were getting cozy with each other."

Chelsea's face went pale. "I-I can't believe this! Julia would _never_ get cozy with Will!"

"Yeah…that's impossible anyway," added Mark defiantly, unwilling to believe such a thing. "Julia told us earlier that she's engaged! She and Elliot are supposed to get married in the summer!"

Lily glared at them coldly. "I _know_ what I saw."

"Maybe this is all just a misunderstanding!" Chelsea attempted to change Lily's mind. "Maybe it's not what you think!"

"It _is_ what I think!" Lily shouted cholerically, tears forming in her beautiful eyes. "That callous buffoon dared to betray my trust and heart behind my back and then had the gall to ask for my hand in marriage! I refused his proposal right away and he had the nerve to get upset with _me_ …as if it was _my_ fault!"

Mark looked deeply concerned. "Lily…"

"I confronted him that day after he asked for my hand in marriage!" Lily went on, unable to stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth. "I told him about my knowledge of him cheating…and he had the nerve to get angry with me! I was done with him and I still am done with him! I never want to see his face again!"

Chelsea trembled from how much emotion was in the woman's voice. "Lily…are you honestly sure he was cheating on you?"

"My eyes do not lie!" Lily snapped back, turning away from them completely and stalking off. "Please, I would like to be alone now."

"I can't believe this…" Mark whispered, shaking his head. "Why would Will do something like that to Lily? That doesn't make any sense to me at all!"

Chelsea looked quite disturbed. "I can't believe it either. Julia would never mess around with Will and I don't think Will would cheat on Lily either. He _adored_ her!" The brunette shook her head from side to side. "I'm going to Will's yacht tonight for dinner. I'll ask him about this then."

"Oh." Mark did not like that idea.

"It's getting dark. I should start heading over to Will's yacht," Chelsea said. "To have dinner with him."

Mark kicked a nearby rock. "Yeah."

"I'll see you later on tonight?" Chelsea queried hopefully, wanting to inform him of everything that happens.

The blond shrugged. "Sure," he muttered without looking at her. "I'll be in my house doing nothing. I might be asleep, so if I don't answer on the first few knocks then…assume that I'm sleeping."

Chelsea smiled at him and nodded. She embraced him before jogging off and leaving Volcano Island. It didn't take her too long to reach Sprout Island. When she got there and approached Will's yacht, she could see Will outside, brushing his white horse, Arthur. As Chelsea got closer to him, she could see that there was a downcast expression occupying the male's features. He did not look happy and he seemed to be deep in thought. Chelsea decided that she was just going to get straight to the point and avoid all of the pleasantries.

"Will?" Chelsea greeted him, the moon in the sky shining down upon them. "Will, we have to talk."

Will halted his movements and lowered the brush, turning his head to capture her with his eyes. He ended up smiling politely in her direction, but the smile did not reach his eyes at all. "Chelsea, my lady…what are you doing here?"

"We're supposed to have dinner, right?" Chelsea stopped in front of him, putting her hands in her pockets.

"Oh." Will dropped his gaze to the ground. "I…must have forgotten."

Chelsea knew that there was something wrong and she had a feeling she knew what it was. "Will, we need to talk. It's very important."

"Oh?" Will lifted his eyes to her, interest piqued. "Well then, we can discuss this important matter over dinner, yes? My cooks haven't prepared it yet, but I'll have them-"

"No," interrupted Chelsea, shaking her head. "We need to talk right now."

Will, now becoming aware of how serious this was, dumped all of his attention onto the rancher and became serious himself. "What is it? Did something happen?"

"Well, Mark and I found Lily," Chelsea started quickly and kept talking before Will could cut her off or get upset. "She…she told me that you _cheated_ on her with _Julia_ before you asked for her hand in marriage."

Everything turned into dead silence. Nervously, the rancher studied Will's facial expressions, wondering what was going through his mind and anticipating his response. A blank look made itself known on the male's face, but then it morphed into an expression of pure anger and hurt. Will threw the brush to the ground hard, making a loud sound and Arthur neighed softly at his master's sudden change in attitude.

"That is _not_ true!" Will hollered, face going red due to his choleric fury. "I would _never_ cheat on her, especially not with _Julia_! That's utterly preposterous!"

Chelsea shook from how much rage was evident in his voice. "Lily told me that she saw you getting 'cozy' with Julia a few times before you asked for her hand in marriage, Will. Is that true?"

"That's true," replied Will angrily. "But it wasn't like that! I was asking her for advice on how I should propose to Lily! I was planning something beautiful for her! Julia was _helping_ me! You can ask her yourself!"

"So…Lily just misunderstood then?" Chelsea wanted to know, becoming hopeful.

"Of course she did," Will sent a quick reply her way, crossing his arms and looking away from her. Hurt was written all over the wealthy guy's face. "I love her so much. I would never hurt her like that. She's my precious treasure that I can never let go of, but if she's going to make these absurd assumptions about me then I'm afraid it just won't work out between us."

"But Will…everyone makes mistakes," Chelsea informed him quietly, wanting Will and Lily to mend their relationship. "Lily was really hurt when Mark and I spoke to her. She really thinks you cheated on her. If you love her, you will go find her and talk to her about this and explain to her that it was all just a misunderstanding."

Will scowled. "Don't you think I tried that already? At the diner, after I proposed and she rejected my proposal, she accused me of cheating on her and I tried to explain to her that it wasn't it. She wouldn't even let me explain." Now, Will sounded defeated.

"You have to try again, Will," Chelsea pleaded with him, determination coloring her face. "There's still a chance to fix this whole problem!"

Regis' nephew grew quiet, staring off into the sea and watching how the moon's reflection rippled within its gentle waves. He stayed that way for a few minutes before letting out a loud sigh and nodding his head. "Fine," he said. "But tomorrow. For now, I'd like to have dinner with you."

"H-Huh?" Chelsea blinked.

"I'm famished." Will gave her a charming smile, walking over to her and delicately taking her hand in his, leading her to his cabin inside of his yacht. "Aren't you?"

Chelsea blushed from the physical contact and gave a short nod. "Uh, yeah."

Will's smile widened as the two of them entered the cabin.


	9. An Attempt to Mend a Relationship

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter IX: An Attempt to Mend a Relationship

* * *

Will pulled on his white jacket and then stood in front of his mirror to comb his blond tresses. His bright blue eyes stared back at him, but his expression was solemn and uneasy. Today was the day that he was supposed to talk to Lily, the woman he loved and adored with all his heart. Chelsea had convinced him last night to go along with it. Will hoped that Lily would listen to him this time and give him the chance to speak. Last time they spoke it was a vicious argument that Will did not want to recall. It had been so horrible and he had experienced emotions he didn't think he could feel. He had felt an anger so intense that he felt like he was going to erupt like a volcano and he experienced a sense of betrayal like no other. Will had been very hurt that day and, after all of his anger had withered away into nothingness, he was left feeling empty and hollow inside.

Truthfully, the wealthy individual missed seeing Lily's beautiful face. He missed hearing her voice and he missed her company dearly. Will wanted Lily by his side for as long as he lived. That was why he asked for her hand in marriage. He wanted to be her husband and he wanted her to be his wife. It was that simple. Will wanted to spend the rest of his life with Lily.

Would that actually happen though? Will hoped so. He could not imagine himself with another woman. It just didn't feel right. He tried to picture himself with another woman though and it felt so wrong to him. That was why he invited Chelsea for breakfast and dinner that day. Somehow, Chelsea made him forget about his troubles and the rancher was nice to be around. She was amazing company and a kind person. Still, Will could not see himself with her. It wasn't right at all. The only thing that _could_ be right was him and Lily. That was it.

"Well," Will spoke to his reflection, finishing with combing his hair. "Today's the day I attempt to mend our broken relationship. Lily, I hope you will listen to me today because if you don't…I just can't be with you."

Through with talking to himself, the male ventured out of his yacht and into the sunlight outside. It was really early in the morning and the sun was just coming up. There was a light breeze and everything was calm. The sound of the gentle waves caressing the sandy shore was immensely soothing. Will felt like he could stand out there all day, but he knew he couldn't do that.

Will got off of his yacht and started making his way to Volcano Island, knowing that was where Lily probably was. She was always there doing some treasure hunting. The woman loved her treasure, Will knew. As he made his way through Sprout Island, he stopped in front of Carol's Inn. Lily was staying there as long as she was on Sunshine Islands.

"Maybe she's in here…" he muttered to himself. "It _is_ still kind of early." Making up his mind, the guy entered the inn and quickly headed to Lily's room.

Will stared at the door, unmoving. An uncountable amount of emotions were doing a wicked dance inside of him. It made him feel queasy. Those negative emotions were taunting him, laughing at him sinisterly. Will tried to force them away, but they only cackled even harder at his futile attempts to get rid of them. Gritting his teeth, the blond knocked on the door with his fist a few times and then waited for it to open.

Several minutes went by and nothing happened. Will's nerves were beginning to simmer down a little, the wicked dance of emotions inside of him slowly coming to a stop. Unfortunately, they all came back at full force when the door finally creaked open. At once, Lily's head poked out and she blinked at him blearily, having just woken up.

Lily still appeared to be beautiful to Will even when she woke up in the morning. Her dark hair was a tangled mess atop her head, her eyes were bloodshot, she was dressed in baggy pajamas that did not cling to her figure, dark bags were underneath her eyes, and there was dried drool on the corner of her mouth. When her eyes widened in realization in who she was staring at, she was about to slam the door in his face, but Will stopped her, placing his palm against the door and shoving it back.

"What are you doing here?" Lily demanded to know through clenched teeth, trying to stay quiet because the many guests of the inn were probably still in a slumber. "You are not welcomed here!"

"We need to talk, Lily," Will said defiantly, refusing to stand down. "We have to talk about what happened between us. I need to clear some things up for you because you've made a mistake."

"I've made a mistake?" Lily retaliated acidly, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits as she stood her ground. " _You're_ the one who's made a mistake, you pompous windbag!"

Will could feel his rage rising. "Pompous windbag?!"

"Yes, you callous buffoon," Lily talked heatedly. "That's exactly what I said and that's exactly what you've become!"

"You've got it all wrong, Lily!" Will retorted dangerously, making sure to show the fury on his face. "You've caused a huge problem all because of your misunderstanding!"

Lily's breathing increased. "Misunderstanding? _Misunderstanding_?! You _cheated_ on me, Will! And then you had the nerve to propose to me! What kind of an incompetent fool are you?"

Will tried desperately not to insult her back and he turned his hands into tight fists at his sides. "Lily, we are going to talk. Right now. And there is nothing you can do about it," he commented darkly. "I intend to mend this broken relationship."

Lily paused, staring at him. Will stared right back at her, ready to launch another retort if she dared tried insult him again. Hours seemed to go by as the two of them stared each other down, both of them unwilling to turn away from each other. Eventually, Lily's shoulders sagged and she pulled the door open to allow Will entrance into her room. "Come on then!" she barked harshly. "We shall talk!"

Will stepped into her room rapidly, letting her shut the door behind him. Once he was in her room, he turned around to face the raven haired woman. Lily had her arms folded over her chest, eyes elsewhere. She was waiting for him to start speaking and Will was grateful that she was giving him a chance to finally speak and explain to her what _really_ went on.

"Okay, first of all, I did _not_ cheat on you," Will began speaking, staring directly at her and being completely honest. "I would _never_ do something like that to you. I love you too much, Lily. And when you accused me of such a thing, it hurt a lot. It really did."

Lily opened her mouth to say something, but Will held up a hand, silencing her. The woman shut her mouth and looked away from him again, obviously upset.

"The reason why I was with Julia those times was because I was receiving advice from her," elaborated Regis' nephew. "I was getting all kinds of advice from her about how to propose to you, Lily. That was all. And she was quite helpful too."

"Y-You…were getting advice?" Lily whispered brokenly, hugging herself tightly.

Will bobbed his head in a nod. "Yeah. That was all, Lily. I would never cheat on you, especially not with _Julia_. To cheat is such a despicable act and I frown down on it."

"S-So this whole time…I was wrong?" Lily questioned, lowering her gaze to the floor in shock and shame. "I-I never…I never gave you the chance to explain. I was so blinded by my own fury. I was so _foolish_ …!" Lily squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to force some tears away.

Will stepped closer to her, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her against his body. A soft gasp escaped Lily's mouth from his unexpected action, but Will was not bothered by this. He just held her close, not saying anything.

Lily, who now had tears sliding down her cheeks, pressed her face into his chest and kept her eyes shut tight. She breathed in Will's familiar scent and it calmed her greatly. The ravishing woman could smell a very fine cologne on him and it was not foreign to her. She used her hands to clutch at the fabric of his shirt and tried to cease her tears, but they would not stop coming. "I am so sorry, Will…" she whispered brokenly, hoping that Will could accept her apology. "Please forgive me."

"I forgive you, my sweet Lily," Will murmured softly to her, pulling away a little to press a kiss to her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Will." Lily used her palms to wipe away her tears as Will pulled away from her completely.

The gentleman put on a fond smile and dug into the pocket of his pants, pulling out a blue feather. At the sight of it, Lily's breath caught in her throat and her heart began beating rapidly within her chest. Will grabbed one of her hands and opened it, gently placing the blue feather in her palm.

"I, William Terry Louis Andrew Carrick Jonathan Dredge Hams Reading Roger Southwark Alwick Plymouth Junior Regison III, ask for your hand in marriage…for the second time." All of the words spilled from Will's mouth in one go. "Lily, will you please marry me?"

"Yes, William," Lily answered right away, a smile spreading across her lovely face. "I will marry you."

Chuckling in jolliness, Will enveloped the woman in another hug and Lily returned his embrace mirthfully. Will lifted her off of her feet and spun her around a few times, causing vivacious giggles to leap from Lily's mouth. Then, playfully, Will danced with her around the room to silent music.

The blond twirled her, dipped her, and swayed with her throughout the small room, enjoying the sound of her jovial laughter. When he was done dancing with her, he drew her close to him once more and planed sweet kisses all over her face. After her face received all the kisses it could get, Will took one of her hands and kissed each of her fingers, finishing it off with a kiss to her palm.

Lily's face was a light shade of pink when he was done and she leaned against him, resting her head on his chest. Will tightened his hold around her and brought his lips to her ear. "Do you want to have breakfast with me?" he whispered to her.

"Of course," she whispered back.

A grin stretched the male's lips and he said quietly, "You should get dressed then. We're going to Haila's Café."

And that was that.

As soon as Lily was properly presentable, Will took her to Haila's Café and the two of them sat down at the front counter. Haila was there, prepared to take their orders. Lily leaned against Will and he had an arm around her waist, making sure to hold her close to him.

"What do you want?" he murmured to her.

"Omelet rice and orange juice is fine for me," answered Lily quietly.

Will kissed her cheek before turning to look at Haila, giving her one of his charming smiles. "The lovely lady wants an omelet rice and orange juice. I'll take a regular omelet and some water, please."

"Will that be all?" asked Haila.

"Yes," responded Will.

Haila told Will the price and the guy had no trouble paying for their meals. When their food arrived, Lily and Will wasted no time in digging in.


	10. A Little Outing With Friends

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter X: A Little Outing With Friends

* * *

Thunder played its vicious music and lightning rocked the skies above. The thunder was like a harsh melody, violently displaying its heinous wrath. The lightning was like a vigorous whip, flashing through the sky deviously. The rain came down relentlessly, drenching everything it came in contact with. Chelsea, who was making her journey to Verdure Island to Nick's Diner for lunch, walked in the rain without an umbrella. She wore her red boots and still had on her red bandana.

It was two days later and the weather wasn't so bright. Chelsea recalled the other night's events and she actually had a nice dinner with Will. After their serious conversation, the atmosphere around them became lighthearted and joyous. Chelsea had stuffed her face with delicious food and Will had laughed at her about how her cheeks puffed out by how much food was in her mouth. The rancher was embarrassed about that, but eventually joined in on Will's jolly laughter.

Chelsea hoped that Will managed to find Lily and speak to her. She stayed positive about that. She hoped with all her heart that Will was able to mend their relationship. As she entered the diner, many voices touched her ears and she gazed around her surroundings. The diner was crowded and very lively. Merry laughter floated about and words were tossed around the air. It was a nice sight to behold and it made a warm smile grace Chelsea's features.

The brunette moved deeper into the diner, looking around for Mark. She was supposed to meet him at the diner for lunch. He brought along some friends too, which Chelsea was glad about. It was kind of boring whenever it was just her and Mark all the time. That was one of her opinions about it, but she still loved to hang out with the male rancher. He was her best friend after all. Chelsea found a table in the corner and saw Mark sitting there with Denny, Lanna, Julia, Elliot, Natalie, Pierre, Will, and Lily. Chelsea was thoroughly shocked to see Lily and Will there together, but it looked like they were very happy. Will had his arm around Lily's waist and Lily was resting her head on his shoulder, a smile of content occupying her features.

"Chelsea!" Julia caught sight of her and instantly bounced out of her seat. Chelsea was unable to dodge the bone crushing hug that came her way. Before she knew it, she was on the ground with Julia on top of her, hugging the living daylights out of her. "Chelsea, I am _so_ glad you're here!"

Elliot almost leapt out of his seat from his fiancée's rigorous excitement to Chelsea's unplanned appearance. "J-Julia! Do you really have to crush her like that?!" The guy adjusted his glasses over his eyes, blinking several times in worriment.

"Relax, bro," Natalie said from beside him, rolling her eyes. "Julia always does this whenever Chelsea's around. You should know by now that Chelsea is Julia's best friend."

Elliot looked distraught. "But still-"

"Chelsea's here! Yes!" Denny cheered, not letting Elliot finish his complaint. "Glad you could join us! We didn't order our food yet, so you're good!"

Lanna grinned down at Chelsea and Julia. "Hi, Chelsea!"

"Julia," groaned Chelsea, trying to get the beautiful blonde off of her. "Please, get off of me."

Mark, who was seated next to Denny, was very worried about Chelsea and he just watched her closely in concern. "Maybe you should listen to her…" he muttered to Julia.

"Yeah," piped up Pierre, wearing his purple top hat and all. "She looks like she's in pain!"

"You got that right," threw in Natalie, sending the chef a flirtatious grin.

Will watched the events unfold, arm still around his beautiful fiancée. "Fair maiden, are you alright?" he questioned the female rancher wonderingly, eyebrows raised high in concern.

Lily looked concerned too. "Chelsea?"

"I'm sorry, Chelsea!" Julia finally pulled herself off of the other girl and held out her hand for her. "I didn't mean to squish you like that! You know I always get excited whenever I see my best gal pal!"

Chelsea rolled her eyes and grabbed Julia's hand, allowing the woman to help her up. Once she was up, Mark was quick to stand up and pull out a chair for her. Chelsea gave him a look before sitting down, quietly thanking him for that. Mark's cheeks were pink by the time he settled back down in his chair and the brunette couldn't figure out why. Deciding now to dwell on it for now, Chelsea unleashed all of her attention on Will and Lily, ignoring everyone else for the time being.

"Wait…are you both together again?" Chelsea demanded to know, pressing her palms into the table and leaning forward. She was completely oblivious how she was dripping with rainwater. Her dark brown hair was matted down and some of it was clinging to her neck and cheeks because of the wetness.

"Yes, we are." Will flashed her a brilliant smile, pulling Lily even closer to him. "We're engaged."

Chelsea's eyes got huge. "You're _engaged_?!"

"Correct." Lily nodded, a soft grin touching her lips. "We are going to get married next week."

"So soon!" Chelsea exclaimed, becoming excited. "That is so wonderful! I'm so happy for you guys!"

Will shook his head, chuckling a little. "It's all thanks to you, Chelsea," he told her. "If you hadn't convinced me to go speak with Lily and attempt to mend our relationship, we probably wouldn't be here right now. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my lady."

Chelsea scratched her cheek, eyes darting all over the place while her face flushed from how much attention she was receiving. "Ah…it's nothing," she said quietly, feeling gracious.

Mark nudged her side playfully and gave her a wink. "You did a good thing, Chels."

The color in Chelsea's cheeks deepened. "Oh, stop. It was nothing. Really. I was only doing what I thought was right."

"Isn't it so nice?" questioned Julia in pure jubilation, throwing her arms around a startled Elliot and rubbing her cheek against his in a loving manner. "Will and Lily are getting married next week and then Elliot and I are getting married in the summer!"

"I know!" Chelsea shared in Julia's excitement.

"Geez, who's getting married next?" Natalie wondered, resting her chin in her palm and looking a little bored.

Denny peered at her from across the table slyly. "You and Pierre of course!"

Natalie's eyebrows shot up and she blinked a few times. "I-I don't think so…" she trailed off, looking away.

Pierre's face was bright red and he pretended that he wasn't paying attention to the conversations that were taking place. "Nice…weather we're having," he mumbled.

Denny burst out laughing at their reactions, thinking that it was hilarious. Lanna, who was still sitting next to him, poked him in the ribs teasingly. "You sure love to tease people, huh?" Lanna talked, almost erupting into a fit of giggles.

"Of course!" Denny responded loudly. "It gives me great pleasure to do so!"

Mark shook his head. "You tease me too! And it's not funny either!" He then performed a smirk. "Everyone knows you have a thing for Lanna. Before you know it, you both will be getting married too!"

Denny stared at him as if he had grown a second head and Lanna was staring at Mark with her mouth open wide, face becoming crimson. "You're joking, right?" Denny demanded to know.

"Nope!" Mark chirped. "I'm not!"

Denny narrowed his eyes at the blond. "Fine. If that's how you wanna play this game." He gazed at everyone at the table, knowing that they were watching. "How about I tell everyone who _you_ might be marrying in the future?!"

"Wait…" Chelsea turned her head to view Mark. "You like someone?" Her eyes were beginning to light up with unconcealed happiness.

Mark began to feel incredibly nervous as his face started burning up with an intense blush. He lowered his eyes to the table and said very quietly, "…yeah."

"Well, who is it?" Chelsea wanted to know, leaning toward him eagerly. "You never told me you liked someone, Mark! Tell me who it is! You already know who I like! Heck, _everyone_ knows who I like! Come on, spill!"

Julia wagged her eyebrows at Mark knowingly. "Yeah, Mark. Spill the beans!"

"Julia…" Elliot sighed at his fiancée's behavior.

"Go on, Mark." Natalie also had a knowing look and it appeared as though she might burst out laughing at any second.

"Mark likes someone?" Pierre was wearing a frown.

"Yeah, he does," Denny answered Pierre's query, crossing his arms over his chest. "And I know who it is."

"You do?" Lanna glanced at him.

Denny nodded, smirking. "I do."

Will and Lily looked quite interested in what was occurring. "Who is it, Mark?" they both asked simultaneously.

Sweat began to pour down the sides of Mark's face as he struggled to come up with a reasonable response. Mark didn't think that Denny, his best pal, would bring up something like this. Mark mentally scolded himself for even _attempting_ to tease the fisherman. He should've known that the male would come back with a full assault. Mark's heart hammered against his chest like someone beating the living daylights out of a drum. He tried not to stare at everyone's faces and kept his eyes glued to the table as if it were the most interesting thing in the entire world. He knew Chelsea was waiting desperately for an answer and he knew that she was thrilled that he actually liked someone.

How could Chelsea be so dense? Mark had no clue. What in the world was he supposed to say? The blond rancher could feel even more sweat running down his face and he struggled to breathe properly with all the pressure put on him. He went through all of the girls on Sunshine Islands, desperately trying to find someone to say that he 'liked'. Mark definitely did _not_ want to say he liked Chelsea. He wasn't ready to let that information out yet, no matter how much he wanted to. Plus, there were so many people present. This was not how he wanted to tell Chelsea of his feelings. He wanted to do it when it was just the two of them.

"I like Alisa!" Mark blurted out loudly, making the whole diner go silent.

Everyone was now _staring_ at him.

Mark was so flustered that he thought he was going to faint. The individuals around the table gave him a mixture of confusion, disbelief, shock, awe, and happiness. All of the confusion came from Denny and Chelsea, along with Natalie and Julia. The rest of the emotions came from almost everyone. Mark could understand why. It was truly absurd.

Alisa was a very kind young woman who had devoted her life to the teachings of the Harvest Goddess. She had moved to Sunshine Islands with the pastor, Nathan, and spent most of her time at the church. Alisa was appreciative of everything her eyes captured and was gentle toward all creatures. The woman never raised her voice and rarely got upset over anything. Alisa never seemed interested in a relationship though and was often speaking to individuals that were much older than herself. Mark did not know her well. He only knew little about her, but he did know that she was one of the kindest people on Sunshine Islands.

"What?" Denny vociferated, discombobulated. "Alisa? You don't like _her_!"

"That's strange," added Natalie.

"I think it's cute!" Lanna input happily, clapping her hands ecstatically.

Chelsea was giving Mark a weird look. "Alisa?" She thought about it for a moment, and that scared Mark. Did she really believe that he liked Alisa? Suddenly, the brunette's face brightened and she let out a short laugh, genuinely thrilled. "That's great, Mark! How come you never told me?!"

Mark sank in his chair, a dark feeling settling over his poor heart. "…it never crossed my mind," he mumbled forlornly, completely unhappy with what just occurred. At the moment, Mark was blaming Denny for all of this. In addition to that, Mark was starting to feel depressed again because of Chelsea's obliviousness to his affection toward her.

"You and Alisa, huh?" Natalie wasn't buying it.

Julia wrapped her arm around Elliot's. "Odd. When was the last time you guys talked?"

"I don't know…" Mark caterwauled quietly, unwilling to participate in any more conversations.

" _Anyway_ , let's change the topic." Denny could sense Mark's discomfort and he felt bad for bringing up the subject in the first place. He knew he was going to hear it from his best buddy later. "We're all going to Will and Lily's wedding, right?"

"Yeah!" Everyone except Lily and Will exclaimed.

"Who's going to be your best man, Will?" asked Chelsea with a large smile decorating her face.

Will gazed at her. "Hmmm. I am unsure yet."

"William, you need to start thinking about that now," Lily told him seriously. "The wedding will take place next week."

"I know, beautiful," Will responded, grabbing her chin and tipping her head up. He gave her a dazzling smile. "And I've just thought of someone right now."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Mark."

" _Me_?!" Mark squeaked like a startled mouse, his eyes enlarging. His eyes were now the size of bowling balls. He was now sitting up in his chair, totally shocked.

Will gave him a nod. "Yes. You."

"Why me?!"

"I can't think of anyone else…"

"B-But-"

Chelsea patted Mark on the shoulder cheerfully. "Come on, Mark. It's no big deal. You can do it!"

Mark looked at her, unable to say no to that face. "Okay." He relented. "Fine. I'll be your best man, Will."

"Problem solved!" Will announced. "Now, I am quite famished. Let's order some food now!"

Everyone agreed with that statement.


	11. Lending a Hand

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XI: Lending a Hand

* * *

Vaughn took off his cowboy hat to run his fingers through his silver colored hair. He had just got off of the boat. It was a week later and he was finally back in Sunshine Islands. So far, he didn't run into anybody he knew or recognized and he was grateful for that. As was stated many times before, the livestock dealer wasn't a social person. He was completely antisocial and cold toward individuals. It wasn't something he liked to talk about.

Putting his hat back on, Vaughn made his way to Verdure Island, intending to go to Mirabelle's Shop. He went there whenever he came to Sunshine Islands to make deliveries. Mirabelle was his aunt and Julia was Mirabelle's daughter. That made Julia his cousin. Mirabelle always gave him a place to stay whenever he came to Sunshine Islands and he was grateful for that. Mirabelle was like a mother to him and Julia was like his sister. They were the only two people he truly cared about and considered family.

When he reached Mirabelle's Shop, Vaughn was instantly attacked by one of Julia's crushing hugs. The man stumbled back from the force and a growl rumbled deep within his throat, threatening to spill out of his mouth.

"Vaughn!" Julia exclaimed cheerily. "It's so good to see you again!"

"You see me every week." Vexed, Vaughn shoved her away lightly and dusted himself off. "Where's Aunt Mirabelle?" he questioned gruffly.

Julia planted her hands on her hips and smiled. "Mom's in the back doing stuff. Came to make your delivery for the day?" she asked him.

Vaughn grunted in response, shoving his hands into his pockets. He did care about his cousin, but he never wanted to engage in a conversation with her. Julia could be really annoying at times, but he could tolerate her. He just couldn't tolerate her hugs and her noisy behavior. She was just too much.

"So, guess what!" Julia yawped, putting her hands behind her back and grinning from ear to ear. Vaughn did not look at her as he sat down on a chair within the area. He knew she was smiling and her smiles were usually so big that it looked like it was going to rip her face in half.

Vaughn did not respond.

"Elliot asked me to marry him," Julia revealed, taking out the blue feather from her pocket and showing her frosty cousin. "We're going to get married in the summer. Isn't that wonderful, Vaughn?"

Vaughn lifted his eyes to her, not expecting something like this. "Congratulations." He didn't think Elliot had it in him to propose to his cousin.

"Thank you!" chirped the attractive blonde. Then, she gave him an extremely serious expression that left no room for argument. "You're going to be there, right? You _have_ to be there for my wedding."

Vaughn sighed in agitation. "Whatever."

"Good!" Julia giggled happily. "Oh, and just so you know, Will and Lily are getting married in three days."

"Again, congratulations." Vaughn was not thrilled by this. He didn't even know who Will and Lily were, but he was sure he probably met them sometime during his life.

Julia rolled her eyes at him and then trekked off. As soon as Mirabelle showed up, Vaughn got to work on his deliveries. It took a few hours, but he was eventually done. Now, he was back in Mirabelle's Shop, speaking to his aunt.

"So, how is it in the city?" Mirabelle wanted to know, standing behind the front counter and wearing a warm smile as she watched her nephew. "Is it the same as ever?"

"The same." Vaughn slipped his hands into his pockets, keeping a cold expression on his face. "And always will be."

Mirabelle released a light laugh. "Oh well." She shook her head afterward. "So, are you finished with your work and everything for today?"

"Yeah," replied the cowboy, nodding. "I'm about to grab something to eat at the diner."

"Oh, before you go, could you do me a favor, sweetie?" Mirabelle questioned him, her tone soaked with hope. "I think something is bothering the animals. They've been behaving rather strange lately. Could you go take a look at them for me, dear?"

Vaughn suppressed an irritable groan. Ire painted his eyes and he rubbed the back of his neck, allowing a weary sigh to travel out of his mouth. He brought his eyes to his aunt and saw her smiling at him fondly, hope twinkling in her eyes. Vaughn shook his head at that. He really didn't want to do it, but he knew he didn't have a choice. He was going to do it whether he wanted to or not. "Alright. I'll do it," he coldly commented.

"Oh, thank you so much." Mirabelle beamed at him.

Suddenly, the doors to the shop swung open and in came a familiar brunette. Vaughn turned around and narrowed his eyes at the female rancher, Chelsea. The hardworking woman was still wearing her red bandana and her eyes lit up slightly when she caught sight of him.

"Oh, Chelsea!" Mirabelle voiced jovially. "You're just in time. Could you help Vaughn out with the animals? I just asked him to see what was up with them since something has been bothering them lately."

Chelsea glanced at Vaughn, a little jittery. "Oh."

Vaughn appeared to be appalled by the idea. "I don't need her help," he remarked frostily, glowering at his aunt for even suggesting such a thing. "I work alone."

Chelsea seemed to get annoyed by this. "Oh really?"

"Really," Vaughn snapped, eyes narrowing even further due to his immense irritation.

"Vaughn, I _insist_ …" Mirabelle said very seriously, giving him a stern look. It was one of his aunt's looks that he could not argue with. Then, she smiled in Chelsea's direction. "Will you help him out, dear?"

Chelsea let her eyes roam Vaughn's figure. He was as stiff as a statue and his face was entirely cold. The guy seriously did not want her help and that saddened her a little. However, she returned Mirabelle's smile and said, "I'll help out."

"Fine," growled Vaughn, clearly annoyed. He walked past her and started making his way out of the shop. "Just don't get in my way."

Chelsea rolled her eyes, hurrying to catch up with him. "Oh, don't worry. I won't."

Then, as one, Vaughn and Chelsea exited Mirabelle's Shop and went to get the chore done. They paid a visit to the animals being held there and the two of them inspected each and every one of them, trying to find out what was bothering them. Vaughn did not say a single word to Chelsea and never really tried to start a conversation with her as they worked. This made Chelsea very uncomfortable and she wondered what was up with him. Every time she tried to start a conversation, he would not engage in it. He would only nod, give a grunt, and/or ignore her completely. Chelsea was highly frustrated with this, but she kept her hopes up, knowing that Vaughn was going to her ranch to pick up a baby chick. Plus, he was going to have coffee with her. Chelsea hoped that he remembered that.

When they figured out what was bothering the animals, they fixed the problem and the two of them returned back to Mirabelle's Shop together. Mirabelle wasn't anywhere to be seen, but Julia was behind the front counter. The blonde was currently inspecting her nails and humming a foreign tune that Vaughn and Chelsea could not identify.

"So, that didn't take too long," Chelsea talked, hoping Vaughn would give her an actual response this time. She crossed her fingers behind her back. "It's a good thing I came to help you out."

Vaughn turned his handsome face toward her, icy and all. At first, he said nothing, which made Chelsea fidget uncomfortably. Then, he sighed and looked away from her. "Your assistance helped speed up the process," he admitted through a mumble. "That's it."

"That's it?" Chelsea was expecting a 'thank you' or something. The guy was rude, that's for sure.

"Do you really have to keep repeating everything I say?" Vaughn was annoyed again.

Chelsea felt offended. "Hey, I was expecting you to thank me for helping you out, but I guess you don't do that, huh?" Despite feeling some kind of way about Vaughn's behavior, the brunette still really liked him. Sure, he got on her nerves from time to time, but that did not end her crush.

"Only when they deserve it," Vaughn muttered, eyeing her in mild disdain.

Chelsea crossed her arms. "What's _that_ supposed to mean, huh?!"

Before Vaughn could retort, Julia piped up from behind the counter, looking highly amused. "Hey, you two! How was work, Vaughn?" she asked.

Vaughn only grunted.

"It was fine," Chelsea responded. "I helped him out with the animals. Oh, I almost forgot the main reason why I even came to Mirabelle's Shop in the first place!" She slapped her forehead with her palm.

"Need some fodder?" questioned Julia, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Chelsea stepped up to the counter. "Yes, please! Hey, how come you didn't give me one of your bone crushing hugs today?" she wanted to know, a little disappointed.

Julia laughed. "What? You want me to attack you with one now?"

"Nope! I'm good!" Chelsea answered quickly, holding up her hands in defense.

"Anyway, let me go get you that fodder," Julia commented through a light giggle. "You can put the money on the counter, as usual." After that, the soon to be married woman walked off to the back to retrieve Chelsea's purchase.

Vaughn took a seat on a chair, tuckered out from the day's work. Chelsea turned around and leaned against the counter, watching him closely. Her face started to get warm when the cowboy met her eyes.

"What?" Vaughn sounded tired and annoyed.

"Nothing…" Chelsea whipped around rapidly, cheeks coloring from embarrassment. "Nothing at all. Um…Vaughn?"

" _What_?" Now it sounded like Vaughn didn't want to talk anymore.

Chelsea looked over her shoulder at him. "You, uh, still want a baby chick?"

Vaughn gave her a nod, folding his arms over his chest. "Yep."

"Okay. Well…you can follow me to Ranch Island after I get my fodder. I can show you the chicks and you can pick one out," Chelsea spoke. "And um…do you still want to get coffee at the café?"

"Sure." Vaughn shrugged, thinking nothing more of it. All he wanted to do was take a nap, but he knew he wasn't going to be able to do that any time soon.

Chelsea did a little dance inside and cheered inwardly. She was smiling widely when Julia returned with the fodder and Julia took notice of this. "So," Julia began with a sly grin. "You and Vaughn going to do something together?"

"What? What gave you that idea?" Chelsea demanded to know, forcing the fodder into her rucksack.

"There's, like, this _gigantic_ smile on your face right now and you look a little flustered." Julia pointed out, her own grin almost splitting her face in half. "Oh wait, are you _blushing_?"

Chelsea lowered her voice. "Vaughn and I are going to get coffee at the café later."

Julia's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh my!"

"Keep your voice down!" Chelsea exclaimed in a whisper, doing a quick glance in Vaughn's direction to see if he was paying attention. To her relief, he wasn't. The livestock dealer was leaning back in his chair, hat over his eyes as he tried not to fall asleep.

"Looks like you might have a chance after all," Julia remarked quietly, almost squealing. "I wonder what Sabrina will think of this, that is… _if_ she finds out."

"I hope not." Chelsea frowned. Thinking about Sabrina made her feel a sort of hopelessness that she did not want to experience. Was Vaughn really still interested in the shy girl?

"Anyway, can you believe that Mark actually likes Alisa?" Julia questioned, shaking her head from side to side. "I don't think he really even knows her that well. Heck, _I_ don't even know her that well. She's like a stranger to me."

Chelsea shrugged, not thinking much of it. "I don't know. I don't care all that much. I'm just glad that Mark likes someone. I was beginning to think he had no interest in getting into a relationship. It's cool to know that I'm not the only one of us that wants to. I'm just still trying to figure out why he never told me." Chelsea felt a little hurt by this, but she forced it away and focused on what she felt _now_.

Vaughn, who was desperately trying to fight sleep, heard the words that were frolicking from Chelsea's mouth. They were trying to be quiet, but he could still hear her and Julia talking. He was only able to catch the last part though because now he was more alert.

Mark liked Alisa? That was news to him. Vaughn wanted to shake his head about that. It sounded absolutely absurd to him. Vaughn knew very well that Mark liked Chelsea, but Chelsea was too blind to see it. It was plainly obvious. Vaughn wasn't going to inform the rancher of that though. It wasn't any of his business and it wasn't his place to tell her. It was Mark's decision.

Chelsea finished her conversation with Julia and rushed over to Vaughn. "Come on, Vaughn. Let's go pick out your baby chick!"

Sighing, Vaughn got to his feet and followed a jubilant Chelsea out of the shop.


	12. Unprofitable Work

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XII: Unprofitable Work

* * *

As promised, Chelsea had led Vaughn to Ranch Island and took him to the Chicken Coop where she kept all of her chickens. It took a while, but Vaughn ended up picking out a baby chick. After that, Vaughn got busy checking out the rest of Chelsea's animals, making sure she was taking proper care of them. Chelsea knew that Vaughn really liked animals and was happy when Vaughn was pleased with how well she was taking care of them. When that was done, Vaughn told her that he would meet her at Haila's Café because he had to go back to Mirabelle's Shop to keep the baby chick somewhere. Chelsea thought that was a good idea because she needed to get cleaned up before she went there.

So, in the present, Vaughn was at Haila's Café, sitting at the front counter and away from the crowded tables. There was a mug of milk in front of him and he had only taken a few sips from it. He was in deep thought and didn't feel like being disturbed while he waited for Chelsea to arrive. Vaughn was in the process of thinking about Sabrina. They were supposed to go walking together sometime during his stay here on Sunshine Islands before he had to go back to the city.

There was something about Sabrina that captured his interest. He had no clue why and was still trying to decipher it. It was like a puzzle, his feelings. He didn't even understand them himself. All he knew was that he enjoyed Sabrina's company and her voice was very soothing to his ears. She wasn't loud, she didn't talk too much, and she wasn't annoying. Sabrina knew when it was time to be quiet and he liked that about her. She was soft and eternally kind. Vaughn couldn't picture her committing a cruel act and that was just fine with him. Cruelty did not suit a girl like her. Vaughn hoped to see her again before he left Sunshine Islands again.

"Hey, Vaughn!"

Not wanting to be bothered, Vaughn put on his most frosty look and turned his head to the side, seeing Denny sitting beside him. Vaughn was not surprised to see that Mark was with him too, sitting on Denny's other side and waving at him halfheartedly. Vaughn just nodded at them, wondering what on earth they wanted.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" asked Denny, smiling like there was no tomorrow.

Vaughn looked away from him, deciding his milk was better to look at than Denny's face. "Is that any of your business?" he retorted coldly.

"Well." Denny glanced at Mark and then back at the cowboy. "You can make it my business."

"You're waiting for Chelsea, right?" Mark queried, not sounding happy at all. "I think she told me that you guys were supposed to have coffee together here."

"How very observant of you," the cowboy stated blandly, trying not to roll his eyes at how jealous Mark sounded. Honestly, he had nothing to worry about. He and Chelsea were just having coffee, nothing more. "That's right though. We _are_ having coffee together…as soon as she gets here."

Denny chuckled at their exchange of words and then ended up bursting with laughter at Mark's miffed face. When he was done portraying how entertained he was, the fisherman rested his elbows on the counter and looked at Vaughn again. "So, how's work going for you?"

"It's fine," answered Vaughn wearily, already fed up with their conversation. "And you?"

"Work is awesome!" Denny responded right away, Popper squawking in agreement from his shoulder. "Man, fishing for a living is like my dream. I get to have a job that I love doing."

Vaughn turned his head to look at him. "And you work hard at a job that doesn't even pay well?" He knew he sounded a bit rude, but he was only voicing his thoughts. He wasn't going to sugarcoat his opinions on things.

Denny gave him a look. "What?"

"If I did my research correctly, a fisherman doesn't get paid all that much," Vaughn elaborated in his cold voice, leaning back in his chair and shaking his head. "So, why do you work so hard at a job that doesn't even pay well? It's pointless if you ask me."

"Pointless…?" All of a sudden, rage took over Denny's features and a horrible frown creased his forehead. The fisherman got up from his seat and faced Vaughn angrily, ignoring Mark's protests for him to calm down. "How can you even say that? Fishing is in my blood! And I don't care if I don't make enough money from it! It's something that I love doing!"

Vaughn stared at him, honestly confused as to why the guy was getting so upset over what he said. He took a glance at Mark and saw that he was completely silent, but there was a distraught expression painting his features. "So? It still doesn't make sense to work so hard at a job that doesn't even pay you enough."

"Don't you understand?! It's something that I _love_ doing, so I don't care if I don't make a whole lot of money from it!" yelled the fisherman, almost growling in resentment.

"Denny…" Mark tried to talk, but he went unheard. All the poor blond could do was sit there and watch Denny erupt like a volcano. The guy moved his eyes over to the entrance of the café and he could see Chelsea standing there, shock written all over her face as she watched the events unfold.

Vaughn grimaced, starting to become annoyed. The cowboy was also very flabbergasted by Denny's loud statements. "That _doesn't_ make sense," he said.

Exasperated, Denny threw up his hands, completely fed up with the livestock dealer. "You know what? Forget it! It's like I'm talking to a brick wall here! It's clear that you just don't get it!" Full of anger, the fisherman whirled around and started walking off, muttering under his breath about how stupid and ignorant cowboys were.

Mark watched his best buddy go before turning to look at Vaughn accusingly, a frown altering his facial features.

"What?" Vaughn snapped in irritation. "Don't look at me like I did something wrong." As he said this, Chelsea walked over to them, hands in her pockets. Concern was etched on the rancher's face as she stared at Vaughn.

"Hey, Chelsea…" Mark trailed, troubled.

"What did you do, Vaughn?" Chelsea demanded to know, ignoring Mark. "It sounded like you were making fun of Denny or something."

Vaughn eyed her as if she were Satan himself. "I wasn't making fun of him," he commented through clenched teeth, practically seething. "I just find it extremely odd that he works so hard at a job that doesn't even pay well! I was only stating my opinion."

"Oh." Chelsea raised her eyebrows, glancing over her shoulder at where Denny was. The fisherman was still fuming, talking to himself and shaking his head every now and then. "Well…go say you're sorry anyway."

Shockingly, Vaughn found himself getting out of his seat and going over to the guy. He wanted to straighten things out with him and he definitely didn't want to leave it like that. Mark and Chelsea watched as Vaughn stopped in front of Denny.

Denny paused, looking at the silver haired individual, wondering what he wanted.

"Denny, I apologize," Vaughn uttered gruffly, shaking his head. "It wasn't my intention to insult your work. Actually…it's kind of amazing how much you like your job and how hard you work at it. I was just genuinely confused about how you can work at a job that doesn't pay well, that's all. I wasn't trying to insult you."

The fisherman stared at Vaughn in shock, speechless. Mark and Chelsea, who were still listening, exchanged a shocked glance with each other. They couldn't believe that Vaughn was actually apologizing to Denny!

"Wow," Mark breathed, nudging Chelsea. "That guy really _does_ have a soft side to him."

"Yeah…" whispered Chelsea, putting her hands behind her back and smiling fondly in Vaughn's direction. The display made her heart swell with happiness. It was then that Chelsea realized that she was beginning to like Vaughn even more. The brunette vowed to get to know him better. She wanted to know everything about him.

Denny ended up grinning goofily at Vaughn, unable to stay mad at him. The male couldn't stay mad at _anyone_ for long. It was impossible. He held out his hand for a handshake and chuckled. "Well, _I'm_ sorry for losing my cool like that! Friends?"

Vaughn hesitated before reaching over and taking Denny's hand, shaking it firmly and putting on one of his rare small smiles. "Right," he said.

"Now!" Denny let go of Vaughn's hand and put an arm around his shoulders. "What do you say we pig out on some delicious food, eh? I'm starving!"

"Fine. I have nothing better to do. And I haven't eaten at all today," agreed Vaughn, giving the fisherman a short nod and trying not to appear uncomfortable with all the physical contact.

Denny was very pleased. "Awesome! Hey, Mark, Chelsea! Come join us! We're gonna pig out on some food!"

"Okay!" Chelsea said through a joyous laugh. She was a little disappointed that she didn't get to spend any time with Vaughn alone, but she was still happy that Vaughn was being social. "Come on, Mark!" The female rancher grabbed the blond's hand and tugged him over to where Denny and Vaughn were.

Mark smiled and let her tug him along.

When they were all done pigging out on a bunch of food, Denny said goodbye to them and left with Popper to go back to his shack for the night. Now, Mark, Vaughn, and Chelsea all stood outside of the café, prepared to go back home.

"So, uh…you going home now, Vaughn?" Chelsea asked the cowboy, gazing at him with a subtle fondness.

"No. Not yet," responded Vaughn, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to walk you home first…unless _he's_ going to do it." Vaughn nodded at Mark who was pretending not to listen to their conversation.

Mark jumped at being mentioned and twirled around to face the two individuals. They were both watching him, Chelsea having pleading eyes. Mark wanted to walk Chelsea home, but he knew what he had to do to make Chelsea happy. "Actually…I can't go back to Ranch Island right this second…I…I got stuff to do," he lied.

Chelsea beamed at her best friend. "That's fine! I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah," Mark replied solemnly, turning away from them. "Later."

"Oh. Okay." Chelsea gave him a short wave before turning around to look at Vaughn. "Gonna walk me home now, cowboy?" she questioned him playfully.

Vaughn shook his head at her, now wearing a very small and crooked grin. "Yeah, whatever. Let's go. I have stuff to do."

Grinning uncontrollably, Chelsea started walking with her hands in her pockets, Vaughn trekking alongside her. The rancher didn't even look back at her best friend and definitely didn't notice the solemn expression painting his face.

"It's gonna be summer soon," noted Chelsea, trying to strike up a conversation so it wouldn't be quiet the whole way there. "Do you have any plans for the summer, Vaughn?"

Vaughn just shook his head.

"Oh." Chelsea reached up and tugged on a strand of hair as they walked. "Uh…so, do you want to do something else together another time?"

This time Vaughn looked at her strangely. Chelsea quickly averted her gaze and her face flushed. She was so glad that it was dark outside so that Vaughn couldn't see her blushing.

"I-If you want to, of course…" Chelsea mumbled, feeling pathetic and hopeless. "I mean, you don't have to…"

"I know I don't have to," Vaughn scoffed, adjusting his hat. "We can do somethin'."

Chelsea looked surprised and hopeful. "We can? Really?"

Vaughn just grunted, unwilling to elaborate.

"Tomorrow?" Chelsea tried not to act too excited about the fact that Vaughn agreed to hang out with her. She was surprised that he even agreed to it in the first place!

"Can't." Vaughn shook his head. "Got things to do. Maybe…next week."

Chelsea smiled warmly at him. "Okay, Vaughn." She was willing to wait as long as she could to spend more time with him.


	13. A Cake Surprise

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XIII: A Cake Surprise

* * *

Denny removed his shoes and walked along the beach, holding them limply in his hand. His good friend, Popper the bird, was left back at his shack. Popper was sleepy and wanted go into a proper slumber in his cage. Denny allowed that and wished him a goodnight. The guy wasn't going to go to sleep so soon. Instead, he was going to do a bit of fishing before then. So, that was why he was out now. His stomach was so full from pigging out at the café with Vaughn, Mark, and Chelsea. The fisherman feared he'd get a horrible stomachache from it, but that didn't happen.

He really did not know why he got so upset from what Vaughn said about his job. Denny guessed that he just loved his job so much that, if someone had a negative opinion about it, he got sensitive and defensive. Denny was glad that Vaughn apologized and that they were able to patch things up. The dark skinned male hated being angry at anyone. He now knew that Vaughn wasn't such a bad character. Denny really hoped that they could hang out again in the future. Vaughn wasn't too bad to be around. He saw why Chelsea even liked him in the first place. There was another side to Vaughn that Denny witnessed at that time. It was a kinder side.

Plopping down into the sand, Denny cast his fishing rod's line out into the sea and waited, crossing his legs. The moon shone down upon him gently and everything was comfortable and serene.

"Denny?"

Almost jumping out of his skin, Denny dropped his fishing rod and twisted his head around to see someone standing over him. A shout of fright was about to launch out of his mouth, but then he recognized the person that was standing over him. It was the former music idol. The golden haired girl was just standing there, holding a box in her two hands while an amused smile played on her lips. Slightly embarrassed, Denny picked up his fishing rod and got to his feet to greet her, using his free hand to dust the sand off of his pants.

"Lanna," he spoke, raising both of his eyebrows. "What are you doing here so late at night? Isn't it almost midnight or something?" Denny went to check a watch on his wrist, but forgot that he wasn't wearing his watch today. "Um yeah, it's probably almost midnight by now. I wasn't expecting you."

Lanna leaned forward teasingly, mirth dancing in her eyes. "What?" she yawped cheerily. "Did I scare the living daylights out of you?"

Denny pretended to be offended. "No way!"

Lanna threw back her head and laughed, using one of her hands to cover her mouth. "Oh, please. You looked about ready to bolt!"

"I was not." Denny smiled at her, enjoying the sound of her laughter. It made butterflies assault his already full belly. The fisherman eyed the box in her hands and cocked his head to the side, imitating a curious cat. "What's that you got there, huh? Something good?"

"Something good is right!" Lanna responded immediately, handing over the box to him. "It's yours."

"It's mine?" Denny reached over and took the box from her. It wasn't too heavy. "What is it?"

Lanna put her hands behind her back and used her foot to draw circles in the sand. "Well, remember when I said that I would bake you a cake?" she questioned him.

"Uh, yeah?" retaliated Denny.

"There's a cake in there," answered the fisherwoman. "It's a cheesecake. I baked it for you."

An unidentified heavy emotion (UHE) managed to climb through Denny's veins and he tightened his hold on the box. His heart did a weird flip in his chest and the butterflies in his tummy were becoming a hassle to deal with. Jubilance grabbed his heart and did a wonderful dance with it and Denny was having a hard time breathing for a minute.

"You made me cheesecake?" Denny wanted to laugh with jolliness. It was such a kind thing to do. He remembered when Lanna said that she would bake him a cake and that it would be a special occasion. Denny thought she really wasn't going to go through with it, but she did.

"Of course I did," answered the girl, shrugging. "I said I would and I did. I went to your shack first, but you weren't there, so I decided to look for you here. Sure enough, here you are. You weren't so hard to find, Denny."

A grin curled Denny's lips. "Well, thanks. Sorry I had to make you go through the hassle of searching for me. I decided to do some fishing before I went to bed." He glanced down at the fishing rod he had dropped when he took the box from the woman.

"It's no trouble…" vociferated Lanna, shaking her head and smiling fondly at him. "It was ready and I just _had_ to give it to you."

"Thank you, Lanna," Denny said jovially. "If I wasn't holding this box, I would give you a hug."

Lanna blushed. "Really?"

"Of course." Denny started trotting back to his shack, leaving his fishing rod there. "Come on. Want to help me eat this cheesecake or what?"

"Sure!"

They made the journey back to Denny's shack. It wasn't far from where they were. Lanna held the door open for the fisherman and Denny walked inside while thanking her. The girl entered after that, shutting the door behind her. Once that was done, Lanna found a table and sat down at it. Denny placed the box onto the table and sat down across from her. He popped open the box and looked at the cheesecake inside. It looked absolutely scrumptious.

"Let me go get some forks!" Denny declared, going over to a drawer and pulling out two silver forks.

"No plates?" Lanna wondered.

"Do you want plates?" asked the fisherman curiously. "Don't wanna share with me?"

Lanna's face turned pink and she shook her head. "Uh, yeah, it's not that! I mean, I do…want to share with you."

"Okay then." Denny winked at her and trekked back over to the table. He sat down in his chair and then gave Lanna her own fork. Once that was over, the male started digging into the cheesecake. His stomach was full, but his mouth was in heaven. "This is _so_ good!" he exclaimed with his mouth full.

"It is?" Lanna queried, taking a bite of the cheesecake. "I didn't even try it yet. Oh, it _is_ good!"

"It's more than good!" claimed Denny, getting another bite of the cheesecake. "It's scrumptious! It's the best cheesecake I've ever had. You really know how to bake!"

The golden haired lady bowed her head as she chewed on more cheesecake, savoring the delicious taste that the dessert had to offer. "I'm really glad you like it," she spoke, trying to contain the happiness in her voice.

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate you baking me a cake," Denny commented after swallowing another piece of the goods. He was watching her now, a big smile occupying his face. "No one has ever baked me a cake before."

"Is that so?" Lanna questioned.

Denny bobbed his head in a short nod. "Yup!"

"Well, I'm glad that I was the first," announced the former singer in her melodious voice. She was done eating the cheesecake for now and had set her fork down on the table. "I was afraid you weren't going to like it."

"I _love_ it!" Denny shoved another piece of cheesecake into his mouth and ate it hungrily.

Lanna put her chin in her hands and grinned joyfully at the male. She watched him eat for a few more minutes before Denny closed the box. He was silent then and did not speak for another few minutes. As soon as those minutes were up, the fisherman got up from his chair and walked around the table to face the former singer.

"Is there something wrong?" Lanna wanted to know, looking up at him.

Without a word, Denny lowered himself and wrapped his arms around her form, pulling her close against him. The woman was really startled, but then she relaxed into his hug and leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Denny felt so warm and nice against her and he smelled like soap and shampoo. Lanna guessed that he probably took a shower before he decided to go out and do some fishing, which was nice. Lanna continued to inhale his nice scent she closed her eyes, feeling entirely content.

The two of them stayed like that for a little while longer, not willing to part. Unfortunately, they couldn't remain that way forever. Eventually, they pulled away from each other. As they did, Denny had the sudden urge to kiss her, but he refrained from doing so, unsure of what Lanna would think of him if he did such a thing.

"Well, um…" Lanna was flustered and she stumbled out of her chair, almost crashing to the floor. Denny was there to steady her though and he was staring at her in deep concern. "I should, uh, be getting home now."

"Yeah." Denny scratched the back of his head. "It's pretty late. Uh…do you want me to walk you home?"

Lanna shook her head. "No. No, I'll be fine."

Denny felt crestfallen that she declined his offer, but he brightened up soon after. "Well, if you say so, Lanna. Goodnight then. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You'll see me tomorrow," confirmed the fisherwoman, heading over to the door and pulling it open. "Goodnight, Denny." Then, she was gone.

Denny closed the door behind her and breathed out heavily, mentally cursing himself for being such a wimp. The desire to kiss Lanna had been horribly strong and he was afraid that he wouldn't have been able to resist it. Denny was beginning to wish he had just manned up and kissed her.

"Eh, whatever," Denny talked to himself, getting to his bed and slipping under the covers. He pressed his face into his pillow and shut his eyes. "It's not like I wouldn't have another chance to kiss her. Anyway, time to sleep."

He soon fell asleep.

And his dreams were of Lanna.


	14. Handmade Sweets

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XIV: Handmade Sweets

* * *

Vaughn trekked slowly through Meadow Island, hands deep in his pants pockets. He had just left Ranch Island. Chelsea was in an overly happy mood, according to Vaughn. She became even happier when he agreed to hang out with her in the future. Vaughn did not know why though.

Chelsea was someone he respected, but he never admitted that to her. He respected her deeply for all the work she did on her ranch and for everything she had done for Sunshine Islands. Sunshine Islands would not have been in the state it was today if it weren't for her. It was all thanks to Chelsea and Vaughn could respect her for that. In addition to that, she took great care of her animals, which was very pleasing to the cowboy. Chelsea made her animals a priority and always kept them well fed, clean, and happy.

The rancher wasn't bad company at all, but she could be annoying at times, which was something Vaughn didn't like at all. Chelsea had the tendency to repeat everything he said. Vaughn got irritated a lot by that and he wished she wouldn't do that so frequently. Still, he didn't mind being around her. She was a good person. That was why he agreed to hang out with her in the future.

Vaughn recalled the café's events. Denny had called him a friend back there. The silver haired man didn't have any friends whatsoever. It made him feel some kind of way when Denny had claimed that he was a friend of his. Vaughn was actually surprised by it, he was even surprised by the fact that he allowed himself to pig out with Denny, Mark, and Chelsea. He didn't have a bad time either. It was rather nice. Vaughn never experienced something like that before, not even when he was younger.

The man continued his journey through Meadow Island, enjoying the quietness and his time alone. Bright stars decorated the sky above and there were an uncountable amount of them dancing about in the dark sea. When he was in the city, he couldn't see so many stars. It was nice to see so many while he was on Sunshine Islands. There was a full moon tonight and it gave off a luminous glow, bathing everything in its gentle light. The tall grass around him swayed to the wind's music and the colorful flowers joined in on the dance, moving from side to side. It wasn't cold and it wasn't hot either. The weather was just right.

Deciding to take advantage of such nice weather, Vaughn lowered himself into the tall grass and propped one knee up, draping his right arm over it. He took off his hat and then placed it on the ground beside him, using his free hand as a stand to keep his body upright. He just stared straight ahead, admiring the nature around him.

The man often thanked the Harvest Goddess for how good life was on Sunshine Islands. Sunshine Islands was the best that it could be. He also had to thank Chelsea for that to. Sunshine Islands was glorious and it was prospering beautifully. Vaughn was grateful for all of the work Chelsea had put in to make Sunshine Islands what it was today. He would never say that to her face, but he would always be thinking of it whenever he saw her. Vaughn loved it in Sunshine Islands and he wished he could stay there for more than just two days a week. The city was too lively and full of people. The people were _everywhere_ and there were rotten individuals there too. So far, there wasn't anyone on Sunshine Islands that he hated. There were numerous people that he hated in the city though. One day Vaughn hoped to live on Sunshine Islands permanently while still being able to work somehow. That would be a dream come true. He'd like that very much.

Closing his eyes and enjoying the way the breeze caressed his skin and ruffled his silver hair, Vaughn tried to quiet his thoughts and focus on what was happening now. Unfortunately, he was unable to do that because someone dared to interrupt his alone time.

It was Sabrina.

The raven haired beauty was approaching him from afar, holding a very small bag in her hand. It was looped around her wrist and her fingers clutched at the fabric. Her long, dark hair danced in the breeze and her mother's pendant decorated her throat. She still wore her glasses and there was a shy look on her face that Vaughn had gotten used to.

The bookkeeper appeared to be angelic underneath the moon's soft light. It was like she was a goddess that had been sent from heaven. That was what Vaughn thought. Watching her with an untellable look on his face, the man recalled the painting he had received from her. She did not know this, but Vaughn had put up the painting in his room wall back in the city, right next to his mattress. Now, whenever he woke up or returned home, he would be able to gaze upon the painting's magnificence.

Sabrina had been searching for Vaughn ever since she'd heard he returned to Sunshine Islands. She had been creating another painting for him earlier that day and she was working hard on it. Sabrina wanted to focus on the relationship between them, so she tried to convey that within the painting she was currently doing. It was difficult, but she was having a nice time doing it for the one she cared so deeply about. Sabrina had the strong hope that Vaughn would like this painting as well once she completed it.

When she reached the male, he was staring up at her without saying anything at all. It almost felt like he was admiring her. That was what Sabrina believed. Just from thinking that made her face flare up with a blush. Her grasp tightened on the bag she held and she thought that Vaughn looked very handsome without his hat on. She was able to see more of his face without it on and his eyes were absolutely breathtaking. It was such an unusual color, but the girl loved it.

"H-Hello, Vaughn…" Sabrina yammered, making sure her words were soft and quiet. They were so quiet that Vaughn almost did not hear her. "I-I was looking for you, um…" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and darted her eyes all about. "I've made some doughnuts for today and, well, I-I was wondering if…if you w-wanted some?"

Vaughn did not respond right away. Instead, he just stared at her as if he did not hear a word she said. His face did not give away any kind of emotion, but annoyance flashed in his unusual eyes. This was not the first time Sabrina had wanted to give him something. She had done it quite a lot of times in the past, especially when they first met each other. The girl would beg and beg until he gave in and accepted whatever it was she wanted to give him. The cowboy resented that type of thing, but his annoyance would always wither away into nothingness.

"P-Please?" Sabrina stammered nervously, holding out the bag to him. "I-I worked h-hard on them." She saw the annoyance in his eyes and it was unmistakable.

Sighing in defeat, Vaughn reached out and took the bag from her, opening it and peering down inside to view its contents. There were powdered doughnuts, glazed doughnuts, and chocolate doughnuts. They all looked fresh and thoroughly prepared. With a little bit of reluctance, the silver haired individual dipped his hand inside and grabbed one of the powdered doughnuts. As he took a bite, he saw Sabrina take a seat on the ground next to him, nervously watching him and waiting for his reaction.

"They're perfect," Vaughn talked as he chewed slowly on the doughnut, enjoying the taste. It was the truth. It was the best doughnut he had ever had.

Sabrina's whole face lit up with joy and she folded her hands in her lap, bowing her head and smiling to herself. "I-I'm so glad you like them," she lamented sincerely, merriment coloring her voice. "My…my mother used to make doughnuts for me, and she even taught me how to make them."

Vaughn took another bite of his doughnut, chewed, and then swallowed it, turning his head to look at the black haired female. He contemplated for a moment, wondering about Sabrina's mother. Sabrina had told him that she didn't know why she left her and Regis. Vaughn wished he knew why that was as well. It seemed really odd to him and a little sad. Still, her mother did not sound like a terrible person at all.

"You seem to have a good mother," Vaughn muttered to her, still in deep thought. He sat up straighter and crossed his legs, leaving his hat beside him. He placed the bag of doughnuts on his lap and sighed. Vaughn thought about his own mother. She was never there for him and neither was his father. They never really liked him anyway. "I wonder what that's like…having a mother that actually cares about you, a _good_ one."

Sabrina was startled. She brought her eyes over to the male that she cared so much about. Did Vaughn not have a good mother? That made her feel sad inside. "Vaughn…d-do you w-want to talk about it?" she whispered in a mild stutter. She did not want to pressure him into explaining about his personal life.

Vaughn did not answer.

Sabrina took that as a decline and removed her gaze from him. She took off her glasses and then used her shirt to clean them. Once they were clear, she put them back on and blinked a few times. Her sight wasn't so great whenever she didn't have her glasses on and she didn't like contacts that much. Contacts made her eyes itch and water.

"Thank you for the doughnuts," mumbled the silver haired male, closing up the bag and tying it shut. "I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome…" Sabrina said, smiling fondly at him. "S-So um…what did you do today?"

Vaughn placed his hands on the ground behind his back, leaning back and keeping his body up with them. "I worked mostly. Went to the café and ate with Denny, Mark, and Chelsea. Walked Chelsea home. Now I'm here."

"Chelsea?" Sabrina mood was damaged a little from what Vaughn said. Why did Vaughn walk Chelsea home? Was the rancher incapable of walking herself there or did something happen to her?

"Yeah," Vaughn replied shortly.

Sabrina pulled her knees up to her chest and stared ahead at nothing, eyes unfocused as she thought about what he said. Was she becoming jealous? That was so unlike her. Sabrina could not bear the thought of someone taking Vaughn's heart and running away with it. Sabrina wanted his heart and she wanted to keep it forever.

Vaughn scooted closer to her, noticing that something was amiss. It was easy to read Sabrina. He was fully aware of how her mood changed so suddenly. "Something wrong?" he questioned her, curiosity inhabiting his voice.

"N-No…" fibbed Sabrina, refusing to look at him. She had no right to feel this way. Jealousy was such a despicable emotion. It made her feel disgusted with herself. What would Vaughn think of her if she told him that she was jealous all because he had walked Chelsea home?

"You can't lie to me," revealed Vaughn, shaking his head and making her look at him. "I _know_ when you're telling a lie. You're not a good liar, you know."

Sabrina's cheeks colored. "Oh."

Vaughn narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't like liars."

"I-I'm sorry…" Sabrina could feel tears stinging her eyes and she looked away from him, sniffling. Did that mean Vaughn did not like her?

"But that doesn't mean I don't like you," he added after some silence went by. Then, as if he just realized what he said, his cheeks turned a light shade of pink and he decided to put his eyes on the sky instead of her fair face. "I-I mean…it's not that, well…" Vaughn tried to pull down his hat to cover his face, but he forgot that he had taken it off earlier. "Just forget it."

Sabrina wasn't feeling sad anymore after his words and she scooted even closer to him, ignoring the fact that her heart was beating so fast that it felt like she were going to have a heart attack. The poor girl almost fell apart when she felt Vaughn's arm come around her shoulders loosely. Sabrina turned her head to look at his face, but he wasn't looking at her. She could see how pink his cheeks were though and that made her own face warm.

The two of them said nothing after that. They just stayed there like that, eyes on the stars. Vaughn still had his arm around her shoulders and Sabrina leaned against him in true contentment.

Later on a little after midnight, Vaughn walked Sabrina home and they still said nothing to each other, but it was a very comfortable silence. Sabrina wished Vaughn a goodnight and Vaughn wished her one as well.

Then, they parted ways.


	15. Divine Alisa

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XV: Divine Alisa

* * *

Mark bit into a piece of toast as he picked up his watering can. He filled it up and then stepped over to the crops that Chelsea was growing. The blond had a bunch of things on his mind as he took care of Chelsea's crops. Chelsea was busy tending to the animals and he had the job of just making sure the crops were taken care of. Will and Lily's wedding was tomorrow. That was one of the things that was occupying his mind. He was supposed to be Will's best man for some unfathomable reason! The only reason he agreed to do it was because Chelsea had encouraged him and he could never say no to her. It was completely impossible. Mark wasn't even sure what he was supposed to do at the wedding as Will's best man. He had never been to a wedding before in his entire life. It frightened him to no end and he had been fretting ever since the day Will asked him to be his best man.

Of course the guy conveyed his feelings about the wedding to his best friend, Chelsea, but she only laughed and told him that he'd be fine. Mark complained and said that he had no clue on what to do and Chelsea suggested that he visit the church. Then, she had added slyly, he could see Alisa while he was there. That only made him horribly flustered and depressed. That was another thing that was occupying his mind; the fact that he lied to everyone and told them that he liked Alisa all because he was too scared and unready to tell everyone about how much he liked Chelsea.

Frustrated, Mark groaned to himself and watered some more crops, making sure to get the turnips and potatoes. Mark wished he hadn't done that. Actually, he wished Denny never even brought up the subject of who he liked in the first place. Mark had no feelings whatsoever for Alisa and he barely knew the woman! Feeling extremely hopeless, the blond rancher finished with the crops and started planting some more seeds after he plucked some vegetables from the ground.

"Mark, I'm done with the animals for today!" Chelsea declared as she exited the Chicken Coop, wiping her wet hands on her jeans. It looked like she had just finished washing them. Perspiration slid down the sides of her face and her clothes were damp with it as well. She took off her red bandana and peered at it, grimacing as she approached him. Her bandana was covered in sweat.

Mark straightened up and forced himself to appear cheerful about everything. He did not want to bring down Chelsea by showing how moody he was at the moment. Mark did not mind when Chelsea was sweating or dirty. He always thought she looked beautiful no matter what. Mark was sweating himself and he knew he didn't smell the best at the moment. It had been a long day and it was currently in the afternoon. The two of them had skipped lunch, too busy to go get something at the diner or café, and definitely too busy to prepare something in their homes.

"Almost done with the crops?" Chelsea asked after not receiving a greeting from the male. The brunette stuffed her red bandana into her pocket and gave a short yawn. "I feel so icky right now. I need a shower ASAP!"

"M-Me too…" Mark stuttered a little bit, getting distracted by how pretty he thought Chelsea was. That happened too often for his liking, him getting distracted by his best friend's looks. Chelsea looked so different without her red bandana on. "Um yeah, I'm almost done here. I'm kind of starving too. Want to grab a bite to eat after we get cleaned up?"

Chelsea shrugged. "Sure."

Mark sighed in relief, glad that she didn't have any plans with Vaughn or anything. "Awesome!"

"But wait, don't you have to go to the church today to ask the pastor what to expect at a wedding and what you do as your role as best man?" Chelsea queried.

Mark's heart sank. "Oh. Yeah."

" _And_ you have to see Alisa too, right?" Chelsea inserted cheekily, poking his ribs with her index finger in a teasing manner. "Don't think I forgot about your little crush on her!"

Mark's heart sank even lower. "U-Um yeah…about that…"

"No need for words, Mark!" Chelsea held up her hand, cutting him off before he could complete his sentence. "I totally understand how you're feeling. I mean, I have a crush on Vaughn and I'm still working on getting to know him better. I know you just want to get to know Alisa better. Tell me how it goes, okay?"

"Don't you want to come with me?" Mark demanded to know, not wanting to be alone. Plus, he just wanted Chelsea with him. He didn't want her to think he wanted to be alone with Alisa.

"Nah." Chelsea shook her head in a cheerful way, patting him on the shoulder. "I wouldn't want to ruin your chances to be alone with her! This is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know her even better, Mark! Besides, I'd rather be out looking for Vaughn. I'm hoping to run into him today!"

Mark turned away from her, setting his watering can down. He finished planting the new seeds and used the back of his hand to get rid of some sweat that was forming on his forehead. "Okay," he said solemnly. "Hope things go well for you, Chelsea. I really, _really_ do." He did not mean it.

Chelsea, unfortunately, was blissfully unaware. "I hope things go well for you too, Mark. I think you and Alisa would make a nice couple."

Mark winced. "Sure."

"Anyway, I'm off to have my shower. I'll see you later, okay?" Chelsea spoke animatedly, obviously a little happy about the possibility of running into Vaughn again. "We can get something to eat together then!" Then, she was off, jogging back to her house.

"Right," sighed Mark, shaking his head and going back to his own abode. It was a few spaces away from Chelsea's home. Chelsea's house was big with a second floor while his was almost like a hut. Mark couldn't afford to upgrade his house and he didn't plan on trying to make that kind of money. What did he need a huge house for? He was living alone. As soon as he got inside of his home, he showered thoroughly and made sure to scrub his body good and shampoo his hair. When he got out, he dressed himself into some fresh clothes, a pair of overalls, a white t-shirt, gloves, and boots. He put on his blue cap and then left his house. Mark thought about going over to Chelsea's house to see if she was done, but he thought against it. She was probably long gone by now. Chelsea took quick showers; that was what he knew.

Realizing how creepy that was, the blond shook his head and started making his way to the Mystic Islands. The church was located on the Harvest Goddess Island. That was where the pastor, Nathan, and Alisa were. As he got closer and closer to the Harvest Goddess Island, his nerves began to get jumbled up and his heart raced.

Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? It wasn't like he really _did_ like Alisa! Mark guessed that it was just the nerves because of all that he had to deal with. Will and Lily's wedding was tomorrow and that was something tremendous to worry about because he was Will's _best man_!

Mark tried to shove all of those worries to the back of his mind and focused on what he was going to do _now_. He was getting closer to the Harvest Goddess Island. Mark kind of liked going to the Mystic Islands. It was just the Harvest Goddess Island and the Witch Princess Island, but they were both nice to go to. Mark liked the Harvest Goddess Island the best because there was a spring and it was always peaceful and quiet there. Every now and then the rancher would go to the Harvest Goddess Island to take a nap or something or to give an offering to the Harvest Goddess at the spring. Mark did not go to the Witch Princess Island very often because, well, he thought that the Witch Princess and her niece, Witchkin, were rather odd. The two of them did not get along and they were always arguing or insulting each other, frequently throwing harmful spells at each other. That scared Mark to no end. He had almost gotten a spell flung at his face when he had stepped into their abode one time. Now, he rarely visited them. He was sure Chelsea felt the same way.

Mark wasn't trying to be mean or anything, but he was _not_ interested in turning into a frog!

 _Anyway_ , Mark finally reached the Harvest Goddess Island and removed himself from Kirk's boat. Kirk was the guy to go to if you ever wanted to travel to an island that could only be accessed by boat. They had a brief conversation during the ride there, but that was it. Mark was fond of Kirk, but they weren't exactly friends. Mark thanked Kirk for the ride and then started making his journey to the church.

Lush, healthy trees towered over him with sunlight peeking out from the leaves and branches above. It was warm and serene and grass surrounded him from all angles. There were flowers growing here and there along with some mushrooms. There were little animals scurrying about, sometimes crossing his path. Mark couldn't help but smile when they did. It was a nice scene to behold. When he finally reached the church, he could see Nathan outside, a jolly smile plastered upon his face as he watered some flowers around the structure.

"Good afternoon, Pastor Nathan!" Mark exclaimed in greeting, putting his hands in his pockets. "It's good to see you again. Haven't seen you in quite some time."

"Mark!" Nathan appeared astonished at Mark's sudden and unexpected appearance. "What brings you to the church on such a fine day?"

Mark halted in front of him. "I actually have a couple of questions to ask you. Um…" Mark pulled a hand out of one of his pockets and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "…is Alisa around?"

"Yes," answered Nathan, sounding fond. "She is inside of the church right now." Suddenly, a very wide grin spread across the man's face and he viewed the rancher knowingly. "I have heard the news about your liking my little Alisa. Is that why you have come to the Harvest Goddess Island?"

Mark froze, disbelief covering his facial features. How in the world did the _pastor_ hear about that? Flustered, the blond sputtered, unable to come up with a proper response to that. Seeing his shock and discomfort, Nathan barked out a wild and amused laugh.

"News travels fast around Sunshine Islands, young Mark," commented the pastor. "Tell me, what exactly do you like about my Alisa?"

"W-Well, you see…ah…" Mark was trying to come up with an excuse, but there weren't any. He could not think of anything he liked about Alisa because he barely knew her! Mark sighed deeply in defeat and decided to tell the truth. "I don't really like Alisa! I only said that because…because I was put on the spot! I didn't want to say who I _really_ liked!"

Nathan looked mildly surprised. "Lying isn't a good thing, Mark. You shouldn't do that."

"Yeah, I know," Mark said, feeling ashamed. "But I really didn't have a choice."

"Who is it that you like then?" questioned Nathan, going back to watering the flowers around the church.

Mark muttered quietly, "Chelsea."

"Chelsea?" Nathan's face brightened up. "You mean the one you live with on Ranch Island?"

Mark's face turned red. "Uh huh."

"It's only natural that you developed feelings for her," Nathan remarked easily. "She is a very strong individual, a wonderful person."

"I know," Mark agreed, picturing Chelsea's face in his mind and feeling butterflies attack his stomach. "It would mean a lot to me if you didn't tell anyone about this."

Nathan nodded. "I understand."

"So, anyway, you probably already know that Will and Lily are getting married tomorrow, right?" asked Mark, taking off his blue cap to run his fingers through his blond tresses.

"Of course!" Nathan bellowed cheerily. "Alisa and I have been making preparations ever since they declared they wanted to get married in the church. Alisa is so excited about it. It will be a very fine wedding."

Mark nodded. "Yeah. It's about time they got married. Um…I'm supposed to be Will's best man."

"Oh really?" Nathan turned around to look at him.

"Yeah! And I really don't know what a best man is supposed to do!" remarked Mark, shaking his head and putting his cap back on. "I am so nervous and confused about it. I've never attended a wedding before!"

Nathan smiled at this, gesturing to a large rock for Mark to take a seat. Mark glanced at it before walking over and sitting down, putting his hands on his knees. Nathan walked over to him and stood in front of him, arms crossed. "Okay, Mark. You really have nothing to worry about it. You have been chosen to be Will's best man, which is an honor. He must think very highly of you if he chose you for this."

"I don't think so…" mumbled Mark, shrugging. "He just randomly chose someone."

"Still, it is an honor to be the groom's best man," argued Nathan, shaking his head. "The duties of a best man consists of standing next to the groom during the ceremony, typically on the groom's right side. If there are other male attendants, such as ushers or groomsmen, they will stand at _your_ right side."

Mark nodded, his nervousness about tomorrow slowly fading away. "Okay. I got that."

"If there isn't a ring bearer, the best man might be asked to hold the rings during the ceremony until the time comes for the couple to exchange vows and rings," explained the pastor, really getting into what he was saying. "Since the best man serves as a legal witness, at the end of the ceremony you will accompany the bride, groom, and the maid of honor to witness the signing of the legal documents."

Mark was becoming even more interested at the words that were coming out of the man's mouth and his uneasiness was almost gone entirely.

"At the end of the ceremony, the best man must escort the maid of honor up the aisle, following directly behind the bride and groom," Nathan went on. "Now, this is optional, but the best man usually hosts a bachelor party for the groom."

"What?" Mark squawked loudly, eyes turning into the size of bowling balls. "We don't have time for that! The wedding is tomorrow! Oh man, I don't even have a _suit_! What am I going to _do_?!"

Nathan guffawed mirthfully. "Ah, worry not, Mark. Will has taken care of _all_ of that. And yes, there will be no bachelor party. There is no time for that."

"Wait…really?" Mark forced himself to calm down.

"Indeed." Nathan nodded. "Don't worry. Anyway, what was I saying? Ah, yes. Ahem." The man cleared his throat. "On the day of the wedding, the best man _must_ arrive at the groom's home prior to the ceremony. You must provide him with moral support and you _must_ make sure he gets to the wedding _on time_."

Mark was beginning to feel some pressure. "Okay…" he mumbled. All that nervousness he had successfully gotten rid of was rapidly returning.

"It is the best man's responsibility to hold on to the wedding rings and the marriage license prior to the ceremony," Nathan said, sounding very serious. "This is vitally important, Mark. You must guard them with your life!"

"H-Huh?!" Mark was becoming distressed again. "What? I thought the ring bearer was supposed to have the rings!"

"The ring bearer _is_ supposed to have the rings, but you will be holding on to the rings _before_ the ceremony, along with the marriage license. You will give the rings to the ring bearer when you arrive at the ceremony," commented the pastor, trying to ease Mark's nerves. "If the couple will be leaving for their honeymoon directly after the wedding reception, you will also be asked to hold any travel tickets for safe keeping until the bride and groom are ready to leave the reception."

"Alright…" breathed Mark, tugging on the strap of his overalls uneasily. Mark was so distraught about this. He had so many responsibilities! What if he forgot something?!

"It is also the responsibility of the best man to hold onto payments for any ceremony musicians and make sure everyone gets paid at the end of the ceremony, as well as payments to the vendors who will be providing services at the reception," Nathan continued. "It is traditional and customary for the best man to make a toast to the groom at the reception. It is also optional for you to toast the bride or both the bride and groom as a couple."

"I have to make a _toast_?!" Mark jumped up from the rock, mind going haywire with crazy nervousness. "In front of _everyone_?!"

Nathan grinned at him. "Yes. I am sure you can come up with something. Will is your friend, yes?"

"Y-Yeah, but…but…" Mark didn't know what to say.

"You'll be fine, Mark," the pastor told him, waving a hand at him. "Don't forget to buy a gift for the bride and groom too. Lastly, you have to help the bridal couple make a smooth exit at the end of the reception. Make sure there is a boat waiting for them, which _you_ will be steering. It's usually a car, but we're on Sunshine Islands, so…"

"I get it." Mark let out a loud and dramatic sigh, trying to remember everything. "Anything else I need to know?" he questioned wearily.

"Oh! I almost forgot." A smile curled Nathan's lips. "You must dance with the maid of honor during the formal first-dance sequence. You might also be announced with her at the beginning of the party."

"I don't even know how to dance!" cried Mark, waving his arms about wildly.

Nathan shrugged, chortling. "You'll figure it out."

"Who…who _is_ the maid of honor anyway?" Mark wanted to know, sounding curious and a little bummed out about how much he had to do as a best man. "I bet she doesn't get as much work as I do."

"Chelsea."

Mark's whole face turned pale and his heart almost stopped. His eyes got so huge that it looked like they might pop right out of his head. " _What_?!" he yowled noisily.

 _Chelsea_ was Lily's maid of honor?! Mark had no clue! How come Chelsea didn't even inform him of this? Did she just find out recently and completely forgot to mention that to him? Mark could feel his heart beating like crazy in his chest and it was _loud_. What in the name of the Harvest Goddess was he going to _do_?! How was it possible that Chelsea was _Lily's_ maid of honor?! Did Lily have no one else to choose?

"You'll be fine, Mark." Nathan patted Mark's shoulder sympathetically. "Everything will go smoothly tomorrow. Anyway, if you want to say hi to Alisa, she is still inside of the church. I have to get back to watering these flowers. It was nice chatting with you, Mark." After that, the pastor grabbed his watering can and started watering the flowers again.

Mark just stood there, unable to think properly. He was not ready for this at all! The wedding was tomorrow and there was so much he had to think about! Chelsea being the maid of honor just made everything worse for him!

Sighing heavily, Mark thanked the pastor for all of the information and stepped into the church. His eyes immediately caught the sight of Alisa standing in front of the statue of the Harvest Goddess. The woman's hands were clasped tightly in front of her and she was dressed in sky blue and ivory. Her hair was a pinkish color and there was something very divine and angelic about her. Mark temporarily forgot his problems and worries as he gazed at her.

Hearing something, Alisa turned around to see Mark. At first befuddlement painted her face, but then a big smile touched her lips and she gently walked over to him. "Mark, it is so good to see you again. It has been quite a long while," she spoke in a majestic and soft voice. Her voice was like music, Mark believed. Alisa seemed happy to see him for some reason. Did she know about the lie he told?

"Hi, Alisa." Mark scratched the back of his head nervously, trying not to stare at her. "You, uh, look great. How've you been?" he asked lamely.

"I've been rather swell!" Alisa responded jubilantly. "And what about you, Mark?"

Mark shrugged. "I've been okay."

"Just okay?" Alisa now looked concerned.

"I-I mean…you know, I've got a lot on my mind," Mark answered, blushing because of how silly he sounded.

Alisa hummed to that, turning back to view the statue of the Harvest Goddess, clasping her hands in front of her again and smiling softly. "I've just been admiring the statue of the Harvest Goddess. She is so magnificent and beautiful. I think she is wonderful. Do you think the goddess is wonderful, Mark?" The pink haired lady turned to look at him again.

"Yes, she really is," replied Mark quietly, putting his eyes on the statue of the divine goddess instead of Alisa's angelic face.

Alisa looked thoroughly pleased with his answer and she brought her hands to her chest. "I am so glad to know that the goddess has touched your life as well, Mark," said the female softly. "You know, Pastor Nathan has met the Harvest Goddess. I hope you will be fortunate enough to witness her too, Mark. The goddess is so wonderful…" Alisa then got this faraway look in her eyes, like she was imagining something amazing.

"You're wonderful too, Alisa…" Mark found himself saying. As soon as he said it, he regretted it completely. He brought a hand to his mouth and his face went bright red. Mark didn't know where those words came from! They spilled out of his mouth without his consent and he couldn't take them back! Well, it wasn't that he thought otherwise. He _did_ think Alisa was a wonderful person, but he didn't want to say that out loud!

"O-Oh?" Alisa looked flustered by Mark's comment, a light shade of pink staining her cheeks, which complemented the color of her hair. "No one has said anything like that to me before. Am I really wonderful to you?" she questioned gently, a small smile forming on her mouth.

Mark darted his eyes elsewhere. "S-Sure!"

Alisa closed her eyes and hummed joyously, giving the male her back and putting her eyes back on the statue once more. She was quiet for a long moment until she uttered softly, "I lost my parents when I was very young and the church took me in. I thank the Harvest Goddess for that every single day."

Mark listened intently, not knowing this about the devoted woman. He was becoming nervous again and he desperately tried not to look at her face again. What in the world was wrong with him?

"Most of my life has been spent with the church," confessed Alisa, still not looking at him. "So I don't get to talk to people my own age very often." Then, she whirled around to face the rancher, the color in her cheeks slowly fading. "I thank you for your kind words, Mark. I…I hope that you will come by again so that we could talk once again. Thank you for visiting."

Mark gave her a quick nod. "Uh, yeah sure. I'll stop by again sometime in the future," he told her truthfully. "Actually, I'll be here tomorrow for the wedding."

"Oh yes!" Alisa clapped her hands. "The marriage of Will and Lily. That is sure to be a wonderful ceremony. I think Will informed me that you are his best man, yes?"

"Unfortunately…" mumbled Mark in response to that, feeling the overwhelming pressure once more.

Alisa looked surprised. "It is an honor to be the best man, Mark. I am sure everything well go fine!"

"I hope so…" Mark sighed worriedly. "Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you next time."

"Of course." Alisa gave him a sweet smile. "Farewell, Mark. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Mark nodded and then turned, quickly fleeing the church.

Why were bad things always happening to him?


	16. Cute Nickname

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XVI: Cute Nickname

* * *

Chelsea hummed to herself as she walked from Verdure Island to Sprout Island. It was still in the afternoon and she was forever hoping to run into Vaughn. She recalled last night when Vaughn walked her home. It had been nice and Vaughn hadn't been so mean to her then. Chelsea wondered if the man had been visiting Sabrina lately or if he was still interested in the bookkeeper. It made her insides twist up uncomfortably and caused her hope to simmer down. Fortunately, she was able to get rid of those negative feelings for the time being and focus on what was happening in the present.

"Oh well," she muttered. "I wonder how Mark's doing with Alisa." Chelsea started grinning from ear to ear. "He's probably blushing like an idiot right now trying to talk to her." The rancher wished she had been there to witness that. Chelsea was still a little flummoxed about Mark liking Alisa though. Mark didn't even know her that well, which was kind of odd. It didn't matter though and Chelsea wasn't going to question it. Mark could like whoever he wanted and she would be supportive of him no matter what. Mark was supportive of her liking Vaughn so it was only normal to return the favor.

Humming a little louder, the brunette shut her eyes and didn't even notice that she reached Sprout Island already. She wasn't even aware that she was now passing by Regis' luxurious mansion. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, Chelsea felt herself crash into something solid and warm. She ended up falling to the ground on her rear and popping her eyes back open. Looking up, she saw someone staring down at her and it was none other than the handsome Vaughn.

"V-Vaughn!" yakked Chelsea noisily.

"Watch where you're going." Vaughn scowled in annoyance, lending her a hand.

Blushing, Chelsea reached up and placed her hand in his. The silver haired man closed his fingers around her smaller hand and yanked her to her feet in one pull. The breath left her from how fast she had been pulled up and she stumbled forward a little bit, hand pressing into Vaughn's chest and their bodies touching. Chelsea could feel Vaughn's hands on her arms, holding her steady. She peered at his face and she could see him staring down at her, face cold.

How was it possible that they were _this_ close?! Chelsea never imagined them being close like this. Her heart was beating so fast and hard that she could hear pounding in her ears. All the blood rushed to her face and her cheeks reddened terribly. The female rancher could not move at all. It felt like her feet were rooted to the ground. She felt like a tree, unable to move for the rest of its life.

It was _nice_ being so close to Vaughn. She could get a whiff of his scent and it was something she could get used to. Vaughn was wearing some type of cologne that she could not identify. It reminded her of pine trees and fresh soil that had been rained on recently. For a moment, images of those pine trees sifted through her mind and she saw Vaughn there too, leaning against one of those pine trees, arms crossed over his chest with that same cold look on his face. His eyes looking across a still pond with ducks dancing on the waters.

As she continued to stare into Vaughn's mesmerizing eyes, she began to wonder what was going on through his own mind. She could see a faint pinkish color coming to life in his cheeks and it made her heart skip a beat.

Vaughn, who still had his hands on her arms to steady her, was feeling incredibly weird. He felt some discomfort from the physical contact since he was not used to it, but there was something odd he was feeling also. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he didn't want to dwell on it either. Just holding Chelsea this close to him caused his face to erupt with a tiny blush. Vaughn was not okay with this and he was annoyed that Chelsea bumped into him in the first place.

The brunette had her palms pressed into his chest and her face was a tomato red, her eyes staring directly into his own. There were several emotions transfiguring on her face and quickly dispersing. They were gone so fast that Vaughn couldn't tell what they were. Chelsea smelled like strawberry shampoo and some kind of raspberry soap. It was like she had just showered.

"Pay attention next time." Vaughn let go of her arms and backed away a few paces.

"I-I'm sorry!" Chelsea stammered, holding up her hands as her blushing intensified from embarrassment. Her tone was lathered with disappointment, but Vaughn did not comment on it. "I had my eyes closed and, well, yeah…I didn't meant to bump into you."

"Clearly." Vaughn sounded miffed.

Chelsea frowned at him and then turned her head slightly, realizing that they were standing in front of Regis' mansion. From one of the top windows, Chelsea could see Sabrina standing there, watching. There was an expression of shock on her face and then sadness shown clearly in her eyes. After that, she moved away from the window and closed the curtains. Instantly, Chelsea felt bad.

"What are you looking at?" Vaughn demanded to know, following the direction of her eyesight.

"N-Nothing…" Chelsea responded quickly. "So, what are you doing today?"

Vaughn peered at her suspiciously before answering in his usual cold tone, "I finished my work for the day and was just enjoying a walk."

"Oh…" commented Chelsea, putting a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just finished working too. I'm going to get something to eat with Mark later. Hey, are you going to Will and Lily's wedding tomorrow? I'm the maid of honor…for some reason."

"No," Vaughn replied icily. "I'm leaving tomorrow to go back to the city."

"That's right…" Chelsea sighed, shaking her head. "Well, that's okay I guess. Do you still want to do something before you leave? We could go to the Mystic Islands or something."

Vaughn put his hands into his pockets. "Fine. I'll see if I have time. I've got things to do."

"Well, we could do something right now!" Chelsea insisted, hoping that Vaughn would relent and not have to do anything else.

Vaughn was about to retort, but there was suddenly a voice from behind them.

"Hey, Vaughnie!"

Whirling around in unison, Vaughn and Chelsea could see Lanna and Denny approaching them on the path. Amusement painted Lanna's face, but Denny was giving her a weird look as if she were insane.

"Vaughnie, really?" Denny talked to her, still looking at her as if she belonged in an asylum. "Do you want to get killed?"

Lanna rolled her eyes at the fisherman and then beamed at Vaughn. "Hello, Vaughnie!" she sang playfully, winking at him. Then, she looked at Chelsea. "Hey, Chelsea!"

"Hi…" Chelsea stated dully, dumbfounded.

Vaughn, who was still standing next to her, was growling dangerously as if he were about to attack like a rabid dog. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides and he felt like he was going to explode. "Don't call me that!" he hollered viciously at Lanna, making her flinch.

"But Vaughnie is so dreamy!" Lanna lamented in a very teasing manner, ignoring the way Vaughn looked about ready to commit murder.

" _Huh_?!" Denny did _not_ look happy.

Lanna giggled and ignored Denny, putting her attention on an awestruck Chelsea. "Don't you think so too, Chelsea?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in a knowing manner.

 _Dreamy?_ Chelsea gazed at Vaughn, seeing how upset he was at being called 'Vaughnie'. It was clear he did not like being talked to like that. So, clearing her throat, Chelsea frowned at Lanna and said, "Don't talk to him like that, Lanna."

"What?" Lanna pouted, putting her hands on her hips, her long hair swaying from the action. "Well then! I still think he's dreamy. I don't care what you say!" Then, she spun around and started marching off.

Denny was quick to follow her. "You think _that_ guy is _dreamy_?!" he complained.

"Yeah! So?" retaliated the former singer.

"So, that's not true! The guy looked about ready to murder you, Lanna!"

"Oh, _please_. He wasn't gonna lay a finger on me!"

"You're crazy!"

"I am not!"

Their voices faded away the further they got.

As soon as they disappeared completely, the cowboy whirled around to face Chelsea, gratitude present on his facial features. Chelsea was startled by the look and raised her eyebrows in question. "Thank you for that," he grumbled.

"Oh, wow! I actually got a 'thank you' from you!" Chelsea commented, laughing a little bit. "I thought you never thanked people."

Vaughn blushed, but pulled his hat down to cover most of his face. "Shut up."

Chelsea nudged his side playfully and laughed a little bit more, actually catching a small smile on his lips, which excited her to no end. "It's cool," she said. "I know you're grateful about the things people do for you even though you don't show it."

Vaughn kept his hat down, grunting in response to that. "I really did not like that nickname," he admitted, almost scowling at the recent memory. That name made his skin crawl.

"Yeah. It was kind of weird," Chelsea chattered, crossing her arms in a pondering fashion. "I wasn't expecting to see her and Denny today. I thought I was going to see them tomorrow. But still, that was really odd that Lanna came over here to call you that. Do you think she was trying to make Denny jealous? I think she likes him."

Vaughn shook his head, a little bit annoyed. "How should I know?" he retorted frostily, fixing his hat on his head. "It's not any of my business and you shouldn't make it your business either."

"Geez, okay." Chelsea gave him a look.

"Come on." Vaughn started trotting away.

Chelsea stood there for a moment, confused before she actually started following him. "Wait, where're we going?" she questioned.

"Away from here."

The brunette rancher's mind swam with countless questions, but she didn't voice any of them. She didn't want to make Vaughn annoyed again. So, she kept her mouth shut and just walked with him, uncertain of their destination.

They were both unaware of Sabrina watching from the window of the mansion again. The raven haired girl was hugging herself and watching them go, trying her hardest to get rid of the tears that threatened to fill her eyes.

Why was Vaughn spending time with Chelsea? That did not make any sense to her whatsoever. Sabrina didn't think that Vaughn and Chelsea were close. According to her, Vaughn didn't have any close friends. Sabrina wanted to believe that he was just trying to be more social with people, but she couldn't help but think that it was something more than that. Well, the look on Chelsea's face told it all. Could Chelsea actually like Vaughn more than a friend?

"That…can't be true," she whispered to herself worriedly, going over to her bed and sitting down on top of it. Her arms were still securely around her and she suddenly felt very cold and helpless. "It just can't be true."

Sabrina remembered last night's events, a warm feeling settling within her chest. Those memories made her calm down and caused her negative thoughts to wither away. Sabrina recalled the way Vaughn had draped an arm around her shoulders and how they had just sat there on Meadow Island, watching the stars. It had been so nice and it had been incredibly special to her. She would never forget that night.

"Vaughn…" she uttered gently, putting her eyes on the canvas that she was painting on. It was almost done. It was a painting of a forest with unusual colors. She thought the colors represented the relationship between her and Vaughn.

Sabrina suddenly remembered that her cousin's wedding was tomorrow. She was to be one of the bridesmaids. The raven haired girl was deeply crestfallen that Lily had not chosen her to be the maid of honor. For some unfathomable reason Lily had chosen _Chelsea_ to be her maid of honor, which was quite odd. Sabrina didn't even know that the two of them were that close. Still, she was happy for her cousin and would be supportive of Will and Lily. She would be a good bridesmaid.

Leaning back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling, Sabrina tried to recall who the other bridesmaids were. She knew that Natalie and Julia were also bridesmaids. She knew that there were two others as well that she couldn't remember.

Sabrina turned over onto her belly and closed her eyes, deciding to take a short nap.


	17. Lunch Together

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XVII: Lunch Together

* * *

"I have never been so jealous in my entire life, M. I actually think she was _trying_ to get me jealous. I don't see why though! She doesn't have to make me jealous at all! I already _like_ her! Heck, I might even _love_ her! There, I said it! I love Lanna!"

Mark pressed his fist into his cheek, elbow resting on the table in front of him as he stared at his best buddy. The blond had come back from his trip to the Mystic Islands and met up with Denny. Denny informed him that he had been hanging out with Lanna all day long until he decided to part ways with her after that fiasco with Vaughn. Mark conveyed to Denny all of what he learned about being a best man and about seeing Alisa. Plus, he told Denny the fact that he would have to _dance_ with the maid of honor tomorrow…and the maid of honor was none other than _Chelsea_! Denny only guffawed at him and told him that everything would be fine. When Mark told him that he had no experience in dancing whatsoever, Denny laughed even harder. Then, Denny told him that, once he was getting married, Mark was going to be _his_ best man. Mark pretty much introduced his face to his hand after that one.

Now, he was listening to Denny rant about Lanna. Mark was shocked that Denny actually admitted that he loved the former singer. He was not thrilled about being Denny's best man if/when he ever got married to her someday. Mark was already feeling overwhelming pressure being Will's best man.

"You love her?" Mark questioned, eyebrows raised high in interest and awe. "You really love Lanna?"

Denny nodded, not even feeling embarrassed about it, which Mark was jealous of. "Yes! I do love her. I love her so much. For real, man. I can't even get her out of my head no matter how hard I try."

"Wow…" Mark spoke, feeling hopeless all over again. How was it that Denny could say that to him with such ease? "Are you going to tell her how you feel?"

"Yes…" Denny responded, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm planning on telling her exactly how I feel tonight. I'm really nervous about it, but I have to tell her someday. I wonder if she feels the same way about me."

Mark sighed, envious. "I envy you, Denny."

Denny smirked at him. "Why? Because you can't tell Chelsea how _you_ feel?"

"Right…" Mark said, a frown crawling around his features. "I can't do anything. I'm such a wimp."

"Don't worry, buddy." Denny draped an arm around his best friend's shoulders for comfort, but was still smirking in amusement. "You'll tell her one day! Oh, maybe you could tell her tomorrow, huh? You two will be dancing and all together. The best man and the maid of honor."

Mark's cheeks colored and he shoved Denny off of him. "Oh, quiet! Aren't you one of the groomsmen?" he demanded to know, trying to forget what the fisherman just said. He honestly did not want to think about tomorrow.

"Uh huh." Denny nodded proudly. "Will picked me out to be a groomsman right after he chose you to be his best man. This is gonna be awesome."

"Don't you have to dance with someone?" Mark questioned, staring at him.

Denny thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Probably with one of the bridesmaids. I think Lanna is one of them. I'll dance with her."

"Aren't you afraid of doing that?!" Mark yelped.

"Hey, unlike you, I _know_ how to dance!" Denny chortled, Popper squawking along with him atop his head.

Mark flushed and buried his face in his hands. "What am I going to do?!" he wailed, voice muffled.

"It'll be fine, M!" Denny assured him. "I mean, what's the worst that can happen? Besides, it's just Chelsea. It's not like it's some other girl. Don't you _want_ to dance with her? What if she danced with some other guy? You wouldn't like that, right?"

"No, it's not that…it's just…" Mark trailed off, chewing on his bottom lip uneasily. "I don't know how to dance at all, Denny. Maybe Chelsea knows how to dance, but what if I ruined everything by stumbling around the dance floor? I also have a bunch of responsibilities tomorrow. What if I screwed that up too? It's like I got all these things weighing down on my shoulders and they're suffocating me! I wish Will didn't pick me as his best man!"

"Then why did you agree to it?" retaliated Denny, raising an eyebrow and grabbing a cup in front of him that had tomato juice in it.

"Chelsea encouraged me!" protested the blond, throwing his hands up in the air as if he had been caught committing a heinous act by the cops.

"Can't say no to Chelsea?" Denny chuckled.

Mark shook his head. "Can't say no to Chelsea."

"Too bad, so sad." Denny got up from the table and stretched out his arms. "Well, I'm off to do some fishing. I didn't get to do it today, so I got to get it done. Are you going to be okay here by yourself?"

Mark peered around Nick's Diner. There was hardly anybody around. "Yeah. I'll be okay. I'm supposed to have something to eat with Chelsea soon. I guess it'll be lunch since we skipped it earlier. I'm just going to wait for her here and ask where she wants to eat at."

"Here?" Denny guessed.

"Maybe the café…I'm not sure yet," responded the male rancher, shrugging his shoulders. "Good luck with Lanna tonight. You have to tell me how it went tomorrow."

Denny laughed. "If we have time! We'll be super busy tomorrow with the wedding and all."

"Oh," narrated Mark sullenly. "Yeah."

Denny let out an unrestrained burst of laughter at his best friend's behavior and he patted him on the shoulder. "Don't look so down about this! We're gonna have a blast tomorrow! Besides, you don't want to look all glum and gloomy on Will and Lily's wedding day, right?"

"I guess not," sighed the blond.

The fisherman gave an exasperated sigh at his pal's gloomy behavior and lightly punched his shoulder, making Mark wince and complain. " _Relax_ , M. You overthink things _way_ too much," he communicated with him. "Tomorrow will be _fine_."

Mark tried to simper, but it came out crooked and false. "I'll do my best to relax, Den," he clamored, lacing his fingers together atop the table as he stared up at his male buddy.

"You _better_!" Denny warned, pointing a finger at him. "I want to see one of the biggest smiles on your face tomorrow, especially when you have that dance with the maid of honor!" Before Mark could tell him to hush, the fisherman laughed and sped out of Nick's Diner.

Once the dark skinned man was gone, Mark leaned back in his chair and tipped his head back, shutting his eyes tight. He thought about tomorrow and tried to calm himself. It was truly difficult and his belly knotted terribly whenever he thought about all of his responsibilities. Plus, he had to dance with _Chelsea_! He had no idea _how_ to dance! Mark hoped with all his heart that Chelsea had some knowledge of dancing or else they'd be stumbling around the dance floor awkwardly while everyone jeered and guffawed at them. Knowing Chelsea, she'd probably laugh along with them and at herself without a care in the world.

"Mark!"

Falling out of his chair due to fright, Mark landed on his face and stomach and groaned painfully. There was a gasp of concern from above and then he felt hands helping him up. When he opened his eyes, Chelsea's face was right in front of his and she looked absolutely worried and apologetic.

"Mark, are you alright?!" she ululated.

"I…I'm fine," Mark responded with reddening cheeks. "Uh…when did you get here?"

Chelsea smiled at him. "A few seconds ago. I saw Denny leave. Said hi to him. Were you guys hanging out?"

"Yeah, we were," replied Mark.

"Nice." Chelsea scratched the top of her head, barely unable to contain a grin. "Guess who I was hanging out with today!"

Mark fought to keep the annoyance off of his face. "Vaughn, right?"

"Correct!" Chelsea flashed him a peace sign. "We just walked around mostly, but it was still great. I think he's actually warming up to me!"

"Great," drawled the blond rancher. "Anyway, where do you want to eat at? Do you want to eat here or at Haila's Café? I honestly don't mind either."

"Haila's Café," tittered the brunette, looping her arm around his and pulling him toward the diner's exit. "Let's go! I have so much to tell you about how it went with Vaughn!"

Mark sighed. "Awesome."

When they got to Haila's Café, they found a table and took a seat. Mark sat across from Chelsea and thought about what he was going to eat. He wasn't so hungry since he was feeling incredibly nervous about tomorrow, but he was sure he could force some food down his throat.

"Well, what do you want?" Mark sent a question the woman's way. "I think I'm going to have corn soup and pineapple juice. Not that hungry right now."

"I want a sandwich, curry bread, and a dinner roll. Oh, and vegetable juice!" Chelsea quipped hungrily, nodding her head along with her own words. "I'm starving! Only had breakfast today. I can't believe you're only having corn soup, Mark! The only thing you had this morning was an apple!"

Mark shrugged, getting up from his seat to go order their food. "I guess I'm just nervous because of tomorrow."

"Wait, why would you be nervous?" Chelsea asked, genuinely sounding curious.

"W-Well…" Mark rubbed the back of his neck, darting his eyes all over the place. "Pastor Nathan told me what the duties of a best man are. I have a whole lot of responsibilities tomorrow, Chels. I have to give a toast in front of a bunch of people. A-And…there's a dance too." His face was painted red now.

Chelsea nodded her head. "Oh, yeah. I know all about that," she squelched easily. "I'm the maid of honor. I forgot to tell you that. Lily just came to me out of nowhere and demanded that I be the maid of honor. She said it was because if it weren't for me, then she and Will wouldn't be getting married in the first place. I tried to decline, but there was no arguing with her!"

"How come you took so long to tell me?" Mark wanted to know. "I had to find out from Pastor Nathan! D-Do you know w-we have to dance together as best man and maid of honor?! I don't even know how to dance!"

"I know," chattered the brunette, sounding very apologetic. "I should have told you sooner, but I was too busy thinking about other stuff. But yeah, it's no big deal, Mark. I've been to several weddings before."

Mark's mouth dropped open. "Y-You have?!" he proclaimed loudly, making unwanted attention come onto them. When he realized people were watching, he lowered his voice and asked, "How?"

"Relatives of mine had weddings in the past and I had to attend," answered the female rancher, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. "This isn't the first time I was the maid of honor."

"Wow…" breathed the blond, awe and all. "And you know how to dance?"

Chelsea giggled. "Of course!"

"B-But what am _I_ supposed to do?!" Mark wailed, throwing up his hands.

"Mark, it's totally fine!" Chelsea vocalized with a massive simper, trying to put his mind at ease. "We'll take it slow tomorrow. All you have to do is follow my instructions and we'll be good."

Mark seriously wanted to jump across the table and pull her into a tight embrace, but he forced his feet to stay planted to the ground, resisting the urge. He was sure that Chelsea wouldn't have minded, but he did not want to embarrass himself. Instead, he walked around the table and gave her one of his biggest smiles. "Okay, Chelsea. I trust you."

Chelsea scoffed, her eyes lit with mirth. "Of course you do. I'm your best friend, aren't I?"

"Yes," Mark lamented softly, becoming a little forlorn because he knew that they probably would never be more than that. "Yes, you are, Chelsea."

"Good."

"Um…I'm going to order our food now." Mark quickly moved away from her and toward the front counter to get their orders. Once he got there, he wasted no time on telling Haila what they wanted. The food was prepared quickly and he brought it all back to the table, taking his seat.

Chelsea grabbed her sandwich and took a large bite, closing her eyes in pure bliss and enjoying the taste of her food. After she swallowed, she sent Mark a wide grin. "So, how did it go with Alisa?"

Mark almost spat out his corn soup at the female's abrupt query. "W-Well…uh…it went okay," he responded, using his spoon to scoop up some more of the hot liquid in his bowl.

"Were you nervous?" Chelsea asked with her mouth full of curry bread, having no manners at all.

"Kind of…" tittered Mark, bringing the spoon to his lips and blowing on it.

"Now you know how I feel!" Chelsea communicated, pointing her sandwich at him. "Whenever I'm around Vaughn it's like I can't even think properly. I get so nervous around him…it's annoying. Anyway, what did you and Alisa talk about?"

Mark did not want to talk about Alisa and he definitely did not want to talk about Vaughn. It made him very sad that Chelsea truly believed he liked Alisa when, in fact, he liked _her_. Mark wanted to tell her the truth, but the words just wouldn't come out. Now wasn't the time for that. Besides, he was sure he'd be rejected immediately. Chelsea only had eyes for a certain cowboy.

"We talked about the Harvest Goddess…" Mark murmured in reply, now stirring his spoon around in his bowl. "You know, Alisa is very devoted to the goddess."

"She is?" Chelsea spoke with her mouth full again.

Mark nodded. "Yeah."

"Is she going to be at the wedding tomorrow?" Chelsea questioned, a grin spreading across her face.

Mark's face heated up. Why on Earth did Chelsea keep insisting that they talk about Alisa?! "That's what she said," he mumbled in response.

"You might get a chance to talk to her!" clamored the brunette happily. "Then I could see for myself how you interact with her! I might even find out _why_ you like her in the first place! Tomorrow's going to be great!"

Sinking into his chair in despair, Mark left his food alone and just watched Chelsea gobble up her own meal as she chattered away about things that mattered to her.

What was he going to _do_?!


	18. Words of Confession

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XVIII: Words of Confession

* * *

It was not unlike a song of the softest words, the wind. It blew gently, rustling the plants and tickling the skin of individuals that walked in it. It continuously played its silent music, the flowers and trees participating in the dance. As the colors of evening took over the sky, the sun began its descent beyond the seemingly endless ocean. The water swayed and swirled as the waves softly brushed the sandy shore.

Denny slid one hand into his pocket, Popper taking a snooze on his shoulder. He used his free hand to gently brush the feathers atop the black bird's head. The bird woke up from its slumber and cooed softly at the attention he was receiving from his owner. Denny performed a fond smile at the cooing he heard from the animal. The dark skinned individual had just finished doing some fishing. He had caught a load of fish and he had a blast doing so too. It always brought an enormous smile to his face whenever he managed to catch a fish.

The man had shipped most of what he caught, but kept quite a few for himself too. He even let some go. Popper was there with him the entire time, squawking what he thought about the fish and flapping his little wings about. Denny would talk to Popper as if he were a person. There were times when Denny actually believed that he could understand the gibberish that was coming out of Popper's beak. Popper was his good friend and they had been friends for a long while now, since he was a little boy. They've been together for so long that Denny couldn't even remember when he met Popper. That didn't matter though, as long as Popper remained with him for the rest of his days, he was content.

Denny pulled his finger away from the bird's head and chuckled a little when Popper nuzzled his face into his cheek. The bird was still cooing softly and Denny resisted the urge to scratch his head some more. The bird had enough attention for now. Denny wanted him to go back to sleep so that he could go to Chen's Store on Verdure Island. The reason why he wanted to go to Chen's Store was because he wanted to buy a blue feather.

Yes. A _blue feather_. The thought seemed absurd to him, but it just popped into his head randomly right after he parted ways with Mark at the diner. Denny was planning on _proposing_ to Lanna. Well, first he was going to tell her how he felt about her and then ask her to marry him. When he first toyed around with this idea, he felt scared and thought that it was a crazy idea. However, the longer he thought about it, the more pleasing it seemed. Denny was sure Lanna was the girl he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. He was _sure of it_. Denny had never been with anyone before and he wanted Lanna to be his first and last.

Denny did not know what to expect from marriage, but the thought of being bonded to someone like that made him feel giddy inside. The thought of Lanna being his wife made him want to laugh gleefully. He _wanted_ to be her husband and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. In his eyes, she was perfect. In his eyes, she _completed_ him. Denny had known her for quite some time, but now it was time to actually act on his feelings toward her. It was the only way. Denny did not fear rejection. Sure, he'd be sad, but he would get over it eventually and they'd remain friends. He was going to do it. If he didn't, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

Popper soon sank into another deep slumber and Denny quietly made his way over to his shack. When he entered, he walked over to Popper's bird cage and opened it, grabbing the bird and placing him inside gently. The fisherman made sure that he was quiet about it so he wouldn't wake the animal up. Once the bird was safely in his cage, the dark skinned man fled his shack and started making his way to Verdure Island.

Once he got there, Denny leisurely strolled to the general store, passing by Mirabelle's Shop and Isaac's house. The fisherman could see Taro's house up ahead and caught sight of Natalie and Elliot standing outside, talking to their mother, Felicia. It seemed that they were discussing something important. Denny wanted to go over and say hi, but they quickly stepped back into the house after Taro opened the door and yelled something at them. Denny wondered what that was all about, but shrugged it off and continued toward Chen's Store.

Suddenly, Julia jumped out of Mirabelle's Shop and blocked his path. Denny came to a stop and stared at her as if she was an escaped patient from an asylum. He raised an eyebrow high in question, hands deep in his pockets. "Uh…is there something that you need, Julia?" Denny questioned wonderingly. "It's good to see you again, by the way, but I was not expecting to see you today."

"Just saw you passing by from the window!" Julia responded, moving closer and giving him a quick hug, which Denny returned. "Where are you off to?"

"I'm going to Chen's Shop." Denny grinned. "Yourself?"

Julia shrugged. "Just making preparations for my wedding in the summer. I'm doing all of the planning. Elliot isn't doing _anything_." The attractive blonde shook her head. "I'm going to have to talk to him about that. Anyway, are you excited about tomorrow?"

"Definitely!" Denny gave her a peace sign. "It's going to be awesome. I bet Will's really happy."

"Lily is too," Julia gossiped joyously. "They are so perfect for each other."

Denny nodded. "True. Hey, you and Elliot are perfect for each other too, you know."

A pinkish hue touched Julia's cheeks and she crossed her arms. "You really think so?" she asked, thinking about her fiancé. She turned around slightly to peer at Taro's house, deciding on whether or not she should go over there to see him tonight.

"I know so!" Denny babbled with a massive smirk present on his features. He grabbed the woman's shoulders and gave her a gentle push in the direction of Taro's house. "Go on over there and see him. I know you want to."

Julia giggled. "Oh, fine. Fine. I'll see you tomorrow at the wedding, Denny." The blonde waved at him before hurrying over to Taro's house.

Denny waved back and then continued his journey to Chen's Shop. When he got inside, he was surprised to see Pierre in there. The guy was still wearing his purple top hat and purple getup. Denny was about to say hi to him, but his eyes widened when he saw that Pierre was holding a blue feather in his hand.

"Wait…what's going on here?" Denny questioned, eyeing the blue feather in the guy's hand. "What are _you_ doing with a blue feather, huh?" Was it possible that Pierre had the same idea as him tonight?

Pierre had an expression that conveyed a huge amount of shock. He stared at the fisherman for a moment before looking back down at the blue feather in his hand. Then, he quickly hid it behind his back as if Denny hadn't seen it already. "Denny! What are _you_ doing here?!"

"I won't tell you until you tell me what you're doing with that blue feather." Denny raised his eyebrows playfully, a smirk spreading across his face.

Pierre's face turned so red that Denny thought the poor guy was going to faint. "U-Uh…it's for Natalie," he responded very quietly.

"I knew it!" Denny proclaimed noisily. "I knew you and Natalie were going to get married one of these days! Are you giving that to her tonight or what?"

"Tonight…" talked Pierre, embarrassed. "Hopefully."

Denny chortled. "I didn't even know you guys were dating. How long have you guys been dating?"

"You ask a lot of questions!" Pierre yipped.

"Sorry, sorry."

Pierre trotted toward the exit of the general store. "So, what are you doing here, huh? Going to buy a blue feather for your sweetheart?" he demanded to know teasingly.

Denny shrugged. "Maybe."

"For Lanna?" Pierre started to push the door to the store open so he could get out.

Denny gave him a thumbs-up without saying anything.

"Good luck."

Then he was gone.

Denny walked over to the front counter and saw Chen standing there. Charlie, his son, was sitting on the floor off to the side, making some accessories. He seemed concentrated on what he was doing, so Denny didn't say anything to him. Instead, he dumped all of his attention on Chen. "So, Chen, got any more blue feathers?"

"I sure do," said Chen, reaching behind the counter and pulling out a blue feather. He handed it over to Denny and Denny quickly paid for it. "Well, it seems like _everyone_ is getting married these days. Isn't Will and Lily getting married tomorrow? And then Julia and Elliot are getting married in the summer?"

Denny bobbed his head in a short nod. "That's true." He stuffed the blue feather into his pocket. "And I guess I'm going to be getting married too, and Pierre. Seriously, that guy has nothing to worry about. Natalie is totally into him."

"Ha, that's true." Chen nodded.

"Anyway, I'll see you another time, Chen. Thanks for the feather!" Denny waved at the man and then left the store, quickly hurrying back to Sprout Island. When he got back to the shoreline, he was surprised to see the fisherwoman standing there, staring off into the ocean.

Denny dipped his hand into his pants pocket, fingering the blue feather in a nervous manner. It was like she somehow knew he was going to purpose to her tonight. Had she come looking for him? Sighing shakily, the fisherman took off his purple bandana and ran a hand through his hair. After that, he put it back on and approached the golden haired girl.

"It's a really nice sea breeze tonight, isn't it?" Denny decided to start off the conversation, stopping to stand beside her. The man tried to be as casual as he could, having his hands loosely in his pockets and standing aloofly as he stared out at sea from the shoreline.

Lanna turned her head to look at him, mildly startled. "Denny, I was looking for you!"

"You were?" Denny rebutted, curious.

The female gave him a short nod. "Yeah. But you're here now so that's good."

"Why were you looking for me?" Denny wanted to know, heart increasing in its speed.

Lanna shrugged. "Well, I just wanted someone to talk to. That's all. I got bored."

"And I'm the first one you thought of?" Denny chuckled a little bit, shaking his head. "Don't you want to go talk with your gal pals or something and talk about girly things?"

Lanna shoved him. "Oh, hush!"

Denny threw back his head and burst out laughing at her reaction to what he said. When he was done laughing, Lanna was pouting at him. "Alright, alright," he caterwauled. "Don't give me that look."

Grinning, Lanna put her hands on her hips. "Fine. So, I caught a lot of fish today."

"So did I…" muttered Denny, beginning to think about how he was going to tell Lanna how he felt about her and propose to her. It made his palms sweaty.

Denny let out a deep exhale and turned to face Lanna, nervousness creeping into his heart. "Um…Lanna?"

"Yes?" Lanna looked at him, curiosity coloring her facial features.

"Th-There's something I have t-to…well…" Denny mentally cursed himself from stumbling over his words so much. What was wrong with him?

Lanna appeared bewildered. "Is…there something wrong, Denny?" It was so weird of Denny to be stumbling over his words and stammering like that. It wasn't normal. He was usually so talkative and couldn't cease his words.

Denny did not respond and he just stared at her, the words he wanted out of his mouth stuck in his throat.

The golden haired female got even more concerned. "Denny? Are you sick?" she demanded to know the reason for his odd behavior.

"Well." Denny glanced away from her. Eventually, he turned away from her completely until his back was to her. "I might be."

Lanna's eyes widened. "Well then tell me what's wrong so I can help you!" she insisted worriedly.

Denny suddenly turned around to face her and blurted out, "Will you marry me?"

Astonished and in complete disbelief, Lanna took a small step back as if she had been pushed physically. He heart thumped wildly in her chest and her stomach was twisted up in knots. The former singer brought a hand to her heart and curled it into a fist. "D-Denny…" she spoke, not knowing what to say. All of her words had been stolen from her.

Determined, Denny took out the blue feather and showed it to her. "This is the first time I've ever wanted to be with someone, Lanna, and I want you to be my first and my last," he talked honestly and from the bottom of his heart. "You're really fun to talk to, Lanna. And you love fishing, like me. You're beautiful and your voice…it's like music."

Lanna was quiet, her cheeks turning red.

"I care about you a lot and…" Denny gazed into her eyes. "…and I love you. I really do. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. That's…that's why I want you to marry me."

Lanna just stared at him.

Denny sighed and looked away from her. "It's fine if you don't want to. I understand. We can still be friends. I'm just glad that I was able to tell you how I feel." With that, the fisherman started walking away from her, feeling a stinging sensation within his heart.

"Denny, wait…"

Ceasing his trekking, the guy whirled around to peer at her, wondering what she had to say. Hope fired up within his being and he clutched the blue feather tighter in his hand.

"I'll accept your proposal," remarked Lanna, voice thick with emotion. "I…I love you too, Denny. I always have." With a teary smile, she moved closer to him and took the blue feather from his hand, holding it close to her.

"Really?" Denny raised his eyebrows, throwing on a grin that was as wide as a banana.

Lanna pocketed the blue feather and gave him one of her brightest smiles. "Yes, really. Of course I want to marry you, Denny. What were you thinking walking away from me like that? You thought I wasn't going to accept your proposal?"

"I had a feeling…" Denny snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her against his body.

Lanna lightly slapped his arm, face flaring up. "Idiot!"

"What? You can't blame me for that!" complained the fisherman, still holding her close to him. "You weren't saying _anything_ at first. I thought you were going to reject me!"

"I was just in shock, that's all!" quarreled the former singer, shaking her head from side to side while her cheeks remained a bright red. "Did you really think I would-"

Wanting her to shut up, Denny leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers in a kiss. A squeak came out of the girl's mouth and she stiffened terribly, horribly caught off guard. When she finally managed to relax, she wrapped her arms around the guy's neck and kissed him back while closing her eyes. They stayed like that for a few seconds more before parting, their foreheads resting against each other's.

"That was my first kiss," lamented Denny softly. "I seriously did not know what I was doing. Was it okay?"

"It was my first kiss too, silly," whispered Lanna quietly, bringing one of her hands up to his cheeks to gently caress it. "I don't know what a kiss is supposed to feel like. All I know is that you're supposed to put your lips on someone else's-"

Denny covered her mouth with his again, interrupting her sentence. This time it was a short kiss and he pulled away, grinning from ear to ear.

Lanna was blushing like crazy from his action, but she frowned and smacked his arm again. "Would you stop cutting me off like-"

Once again, Denny's lips were on hers and he was kissing her fervently, arms tightening around her waist. Lanna closed her eyes and returned his kiss, trying not to be annoyed with him for interrupting her like that.

When he broke the kiss, Lanna opened her mouth to speak again, but Denny was already back to kissing her. She forgot about what she wanted to say and just gave in, enjoying the closeness they had with each other.


	19. The Marriage of Will and Lily

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XIX: The Marriage of Will and Lily

* * *

Full of tremendous unease while mind almost exploding with how many negative thoughts were invading it, Mark nervously tugged on the tie of his white tuxedo. It was four in the morning and it had been absolutely impossible to get _any_ sleep. During the night, the blond had tossed and turned around his bed and sometimes even ended up on the floor, tangled in his sheets. Eventually, he gave up his futile attempts of slumber at three something in the morning and decided to get ready for the big day. He had showered thoroughly, combed his hair, and put on the white suit that Will had sent to him yesterday. Mark also put a little bit of cologne on, which was something he only did for special occasions.

Will and Lily wanted _everything_ to be ivory at the wedding. The wedding guests could wear any color that they desired, but they had to be dressed appropriately for the ceremony. The best man, all of the groomsmen, the maid of honor, and all of the bridesmaids had to be in ivory, like the bride and groom. The bride was to have a bouquet of white lilies as she walked down the aisle and the entire church had to be decorated with the white lilies as well, according to Will. There was to be various types of gourmet foods to choose from, as well as desserts. The main cake was to be a rather massive cheesecake. Will wanted _everything_ to be extravagant and _perfect_. Nothing was to go wrong. Mark wouldn't be surprised if the whole church now resembled that of an expensive and fancy foyer of a trillion dollar mansion. Mark knew the guy could afford it.

Clearing his throat and forcing himself to stop messing with his suit's tie, Mark fumbled around with the marriage license, the payments, and the rings, wondering where to put everything. The rings were highly important. Mark knew that the rings probably costed a fortune. They were made out of pure ruby while being surrounded by sparkling diamonds. The rings were identical and breathtaking. Mark wondered where Will even got them.

The wedding started at ten, but Mark was so very early. He wondered if Will was up around this time. The rancher pocketed the rings and the other stuff and then quickly left his abode. As soon as he was outside, he shut and locked the door behind him, glancing over to Chelsea's bigger house. The lights were off and there was no movement from within. Mark guessed that she was still sleeping, which was something he should have been doing, but wasn't.

Sighing nervously, Mark made the journey to Sprout Island and to Will's yacht. The sun still wasn't out and it was still pretty dark out. There was nobody around and Mark began to feel really silly for preparing himself so early. As he sauntered to Will's fancy yacht, he started ruminating on the things Nathan had told him the best man had to do. Mark still had no idea what he was going to say during the toast. That part scared him to no end. Everyone would be looking at him, waiting for him to give a long, heartfelt speech about the newly married couple.

What in the world was he supposed to _say_?! He couldn't just simply wish them a good life and be done with it. Everyone would think he was stupid, they would think that he didn't care at all. Mark usually did not care what other people thought of him, but now was the time to worry about something like this. This wedding was important to Will and Lily and he did not want to embarrass himself or them! Continuously worrying about the toast he had to make during the reception, Mark resumed his walking until he reached the groom's yacht. The male walked to the door of the yacht and knocked on the door of the cabin. It took a few knocks until the door opened.

Will stood there in his pajamas, blond hair in disarray while he rubbed his eye with a fist. He lowered his hand and then squinted at Mark as if seeing him for the first time. "Mark?" he narrated through a heavy yawn. "What are you doing here? What time is it? It's still _dark_ outside…"

Poor Mark's face felt like it was on fire from how much embarrassment he was experiencing at the moment. He placed his hand behind his head and scratched it sheepishly. "Um…I couldn't sleep, so I just got ready."

"Again, it's still dark outside…" Will repeated what he said a few seconds ago, giving Mark a look. There were bags underneath the wealthy guy's eyes and he looked ready to go back to sleep. "Fine. Please, come in. I'll make us some coffee." He held the door open wider for Mark to enter.

Mark ventured into the cabin of the yacht, feeling guilty for waking Will up so early on his big day. "You can go back to sleep," he told him, hearing the male shut the door behind them. "You don't have to make coffee."

"Nonsense," lamented Will smoothly, going over to a counter that had a coffee maker on top of it. "I'm already up. I know I'm not getting back to sleep now. Too nervous. Do you know how hard it was for me to get to sleep in the first place?"

The guilt that was gnawing at Mark's insides intensified and he bowed his head in shame. So, it was all his fault, huh? Oh well. "I'm really sorry, Will. I thought you were awake. I should've just stayed home and waited."

" _Nonsense_ ," repeated Will through a deep yawn, getting to work on the coffee. "I need to be awake I guess. Still have to take a shower and get dressed. The suit looks good on you, by the way. Glad it fits."

Mark glanced down at his attire. "Uh, thanks."

"When I ordered your suit, I wasn't sure about your size," explained Will, pouring coffee into two mugs. "Do you want any cream or sugar in your coffee?"

"Uh, sugar please. Lots of it."

Will shrugged and put a bunch of sugar into Mark's mug of coffee. "No cream?"

"No cream."

"Whatever you say." Will finished putting a lot of sugar into Mark's coffee and he stirred it up, adding cream and sugar into his own mug. When he was done, he grasped the two mugs and turned away from the counter, seeing Mark standing in the center of the red living room awkwardly. Will wanted to laugh at him. "Please, take a seat, Mark. You're making me even more nervous."

Mark muttered an apology and sat down on one of the sofas, gratefully accepting the mug of coffee that was offered to him. He immediately took a sip of it, enjoying how sweet it tasted because of all the sugar. Mark hated coffee that tasted entirely bland. Chelsea disliked that too, so she also enjoyed having a bunch of sugar in her coffee.

"You have the rings, yes?" Will questioned his best man, sitting down on the sofa across from him.

"Yup!" Mark dug into his pocket with one hand and pulled out the two ruby rings. "They're right here, safe and sound. I'll make sure to give them to the ring bearer when we arrive."

Will nodded, pleased. "Right. Good."

Mark put the rings away and then quickly finished up his coffee. The coffee made him more alert and a little jittery. He bounced his knee constantly and wet his lips. Will drank his own coffee slowly and it took him fifteen minutes to finish it. Once he was done, he grabbed both of their mugs and dumped them into a sink.

"You seem really nervous, Mark," noted Will, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "Are you nervous about dancing with the maid of honor or are you just nervous about the wedding in general?" Now, the rich guy was smirking in Mark's direction knowingly.

Mark's mouth dropped open into a wide gape and he stared at Will as if the man had grown another head. "What…I-I…!" He was stuttering again and could not form coherent words.

"I know the maid of honor is Chelsea," Will said, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest in a firm fold. "And I know you fancy Chelsea. _A lot_."

"H-How do you know that? I thought I told you that I liked Alisa…!" yelped Mark, waving his hands about crazily, blushing furiously.

Will guffawed, clearly entertained. "It was obvious you were lying. Almost everyone knows you like Chelsea, Mark. It's plainly obvious. Well, _you_ make it obvious. It's really sad that Chelsea has no idea that you like her. She seems to be the only one who is oblivious to that fact." Will was smirking again. "Maybe you should tell her how you feel during your dance."

"N-No!" Mark wailed. "I'm…she…she doesn't even like _me_! Not in _that_ way. She only has eyes for Vaughn. That's it."

"And my cousin has eyes for Vaughn," countered Will, the smirk still evident on his features. "And I think Vaughn takes an interest in her whenever he's on the island. My dearest cousin has informed me of her outings with him. It's painfully clear that she loves that cowboy. I have no idea why, but she does. And she doesn't even have to _tell_ me that. It's in her eyes. There's no mistaking it."

"Sabrina loves Vaughn?" Mark retaliated, enlarging his eyes. "Wait, I knew she really liked him, but… _love_? Isn't that a little too much?"

"I know my cousin better than you do, Mark." Will sighed, still leaning against the counter. "She won't admit it, but she _does_ love that animal trader."

Mark could feel his heart overflowing with hope. "And…what about Vaughn? Does he love her too?"

"I know my cousin, but I don't know Vaughn," Will confessed with a shake of his head. "I did speak with him a few times, but that was it. So, I am unsure if he loves her, but I do think he might be mildly interested."

"Yeah. Vaughn doesn't talk about himself much," Mark commented lowly, resting his hands in his lap. "He tends to keep to himself a lot and he's pretty antisocial. He reminds me of an introvert, which I think he _is_. He's really frosty, rude, and blunt, but there is a kinder side to him."

Will was nodding his head in agreement. "Indeed. I'm going to have to get to know him better after Lily and I return from our honeymoon."

"W-Wait…! You two are going on a honeymoon?" Mark acknowledged noisily. "To _where_?!"

"Moonshine Islands!" Will responded jovially, taking out tickets from his pocket and going over to hand them to Mark. "Moonshine Islands is a clutter of fabulous islands two days away from Sunshine Islands! There's plenty of magnificent things to do there."

Mark took the tickets from Will, inspecting them before stuffing them into his pocket. "Moonshine Islands? I've never heard of this place before…!"

"Really?" Will blinked. "It's fabulous!"

"Well, if you say so," remarked Mark with a small smile. "Tell me how Moonshine Islands is when you get back from your honeymoon."

Will returned his smile. "I will. Anyway, I am going to get showered and ready for my wedding. I shouldn't be too long." After that, Will was gone, disappearing into another room.

Mark leaned back into the comfortable sofa and thought about how today was going to play out. He was still highly nervous, but he was becoming used to it now. Mark put his hands behind his head and imagined Chelsea in a beautiful dress as he walked down the aisle with her, arm in arm. That brought a huge smile to his face and made his cheeks turn a reddish hue.

When Will was finally ready, he exited the room while announcing he was prepared. Mark looked up and his eyebrows shot up at the sight of the groom.

Will looked like a _prince_!

Will wore his white tuxedo regally with a matching pair of white dress pants and shoes. His hair was combed nicely and he looked _fresh_. The thing that stood out the most on his form was his bright blue eyes. Overall, Will looked like a true gentleman, prepared to become a husband to the one he loved.

"Wow, Will! You look…sharp!" Mark declared, getting up from the sofa and feeling underdressed compared to the other male. "Lily probably won't be able to keep her eyes off of you."

Immensely pleased with the feedback he got from his best man, Will smirked and chuckled to himself. "Why, thank you, Mark. Your words are too kind. However, I think it is _I_ who probably won't keep my eyes off of Lily. I am sure she is going to be absolutely radiant at the wedding."

"You're probably right," talked the rancher. "Well, shall we get going?"

"Of course."

The two men exited the yacht.

* * *

Chelsea stood next to the spring in front of the church on the Harvest Goddess Island, the sun high up in the sky and shining beautifully on such a special day. There was a small breeze and it felt nice against her skin because it was a bit warm outside. Several guests were still arriving, piling up the church, and some of the bridesmaids and groomsmen still hadn't arrived yet. A short while ago, Chelsea had been with the bride, trying to ease her nerves and frequently telling her not to fret about the wedding. Chelsea was used to this. She had been to several weddings before and had the role as the maid of honor. It was her job to tend to the bride. For now, though, she was taking a break from her duties. Standing next to the spring calmed her and she even gave an offering to the Harvest Goddess, tossing in a flower or two.

The brunette felt a tiny bit uncomfortable wearing such a formal dress and everything. The dress was an ivory color, required by the dress code, and stopped right below her knees. It was very beautiful and it sparkled in the sunlight, having no straps and being entirely sleeveless. The dress clung to her body perfectly and she had white heels to match. Diamonds hung from her ears and throat. Julia had done her hair for her though. Her hair was done up in a loose, fashionable bun and she had long bangs framing her face. Julia had informed her multiple times that she looked immensely breathtaking.

"Chelsea," commented Julia, coming over to her and out of the fray of many individuals that had come to witness the marriage of Will and Lily. "The last of the bridesmaids has arrived! And did I mention that you look absolutely _stunning_? You look so different! If only Vaughn were here to see you! I'm sure you'd have him drooling after you!"

Chelsea blushed, embarrassed. "Oh, stop! Anyway, who's the last bridesmaid?"

"It's Sabrina," responded Julia comfortably, grinning from ear to ear.

Chelsea examined Julia, thinking that she looked even more attractive than before. She wore an ivory dress that looked similar to her own, but it had straps and revealed more skin. Julia's hair wasn't in its usual ponytail and her blonde, curly hair draped over her shoulders beautifully. Lily wanted all of the bridesmaids to dress alike, so the other bridesmaids would be wearing the same thing Julia was wearing.

"Sabrina finally made it, huh?" Chelsea ululated softly, her eyes scanning the chockablock of people entering the church. There were still many people still milling about outside too. Chelsea thought she could see Pastor Nathan among them, along with Regis and Felicia.

"Yes," Julia spoke, voice becoming quiet. Suddenly, she seemed very worried. "Um, Chelsea? You're my best friend, right?"

Chelsea eyed her closely, recognizing how serious the attractive woman sounded. "Yes, of course. What's the matter, Julia? Is there something wrong?"

"Actually, yeah…well, it's not _wrong_ , but I just have some news, that's all." Julia scratched her arm, moving her gaze elsewhere in a very nervous manner.

Chelsea was growing concerned. "Julia, what's wrong?"

"Chelsea, I'm-"

"Hey!" Natalie's loud voice interrupted their secret conversation. The pink haired girl was trotting over with Sabrina and Lanna. Denny was coming along too.

Natalie, Sabrina, and Lanna were all dressed in the same outfit as Julia, but they all had their hair done in different ways. Sabrina's black hair was done up in two loose buns and she still wore her glasses. Natalie decided to keep her hair the same, but decorated it with various flowers. Lanna pulled her hair up into a fashionable ponytail and glowing with happiness.

"Hi, Natalie." Julia turned away from Chelsea. "Looks like we're all here. Denny, are all of the groomsmen here?"

Denny, who was now standing next to Lanna, gave a short nod. "Yep, I think. I'm here. Pierre's here. Elliot is somewhere. I don't know where Shea is."

"Shea? Who's that?" Julia looked flabbergasted.

"You know, that wild guy that lives on Mushroom Island. I think you're friends with him, right Chelsea?" Denny turned his eyes on the female rancher.

Chelsea nodded, almost forgetting about Shea. Shea was a friend of hers. The guy didn't speak proper English, but he was really nice and knew how to survive out in the wild on Mushroom Island. Chelsea was totally surprised that _he_ would be attending the wedding. How did Will even know him?

"Shea was invited to the wedding _and_ chosen to be a groomsman?" Chelsea vociferated her thoughts.

"I was surprised too when I found out." Denny shrugged.

"I doubt he even knows what a groomsman is! The poor thing must be so confused right now!" Chelsea exclaimed worriedly. "Denny, you have to make sure he's behaving correctly during the wedding, okay?"

Denny sighed. "Oh, alright. I'll keep an eye on him when he arrives."

"Thank you!" Chelsea gave him a quick hug.

Natalie butted in. " _Anyway_ , guess what!"

"What?" everyone proclaimed in question.

"Pierre and I are getting married in the fall!" announced Natalie proudly, hands on her hips with a large smile stuck on her face.

"Really? That's great news!" Lanna shrieked, clapping her hands excitedly. "Denny and I are getting married in the fall too!"

Chelsea's mouth fell open and she whipped her head to peer at the fisherman, seeing one of the biggest smiles ever on his facial features. "Denny!" she squeaked in shock. "Is that true?! You're actually getting married to Lanna?!"

Denny nodded. "Yup. I proposed last night and she said yes!" The guy wrapped his arm around Lanna's shoulders, pulling her close to him and making her giggle in elation.

"Wow, I guess everyone _is_ getting married!" yawped Julia, eyes going wide with fascination.

"Congratulations," Sabrina spoke quietly for the first time, a small smile on her face.

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Sheesh. Who's next?"

"Chelsea?" guessed Denny.

"Mark?" input Lanna.

"Vaughn?" inserted Natalie. "Sabrina?"

Chelsea was blushing by the time they were done guessing. "I'm not getting married anytime soon, guys. So stop it."

Eventually, it was time to head inside the church to be in positions for the ceremony. As all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen left to go to their positions, Chelsea was still standing by the spring, trying to think about what Julia had been about to tell her. Chelsea made a mental note to question her friend later about it. It seemed very important.

As Chelsea moved to go into the church, she stopped suddenly when she caught sight of Alisa. Alisa was dressed in a beautiful ivory dress that was long sleeved. White boots adorned her feet and her hair was done up in a short, elegant ponytail. The girl even had a bit of makeup on too. In her hands was a blood red colored pillow. Alisa just stood there by the entrance of the church, obviously waiting for someone.

"Alisa?" Chelsea yakked, coming over to her.

Alisa's face brightened at the sight of Chelsea. "Chelsea, it has been so long since I've last seen you. How've you been?" she questioned her kindly.

"I'm good, Alisa!" Chelsea commented cheerily. "Are you supposed to be the ring bearer?"

"I am." Alisa nodded. "Mark is supposed to bring me the rings. He and the groom have yet to arrive."

Chelsea had forgotten all about Mark. She would have to walk down the aisle with him during the ceremony and then dance with him during the reception. She wondered if he was still nervous about it. "Oh, okay."

"And you are the maid of honor." Alisa was giving Chelsea a sweet smile. "That is such…an honor."

"Yeah." Chelsea nodded jubilantly. "Well, I'll see you during the ceremony then."

"Of course," remarked the pink haired woman.

With a wave and another goodbye, Chelsea entered the church with a grin spread across her face.

* * *

It was time for the ceremony to commence.

Distraught was one word to describe Mark at that moment. Words were stuck in his throat and they weren't even coherent. He was glad that those improper words did not spill out of his mouth. If they did, he'd be overwhelmingly embarrassed and unwilling to resume participating in the day's events.

As he walked out to accompany the maid of honor down the aisle, he could see all of the groomsmen and bridesmaids walking down the aisle, the women having their arms looped with the men's. It was Pierre and Natalie, Elliot and Julia, Shea and Sabrina, and then Denny and Lanna. All in that order. Now, it was supposed to be him and Chelsea, the best man and the maid of honor. Once they were all in position, the music would start playing and the bride would make her appearance.

The groom, Will, was at the end of the aisle, standing to the right of Pastor Nathan. All the groomsmen were lined up beside him now, all of them wearing mild smiles. There was a vacant spot right next to Will, which was reserved for the best man, Mark. On the pastor's other side all the bridesmaids were lined up, leaving a spot open for the maid of honor so that she could stand next to the bride when the bride arrived. The ring bearer, Alisa, was off to the side somewhere, waiting for her cue to come and bring the rings for the couple.

Almost the entire chockablock of residents of Sunshine Islands came to witness the wedding of Will and Lily. Every single seat in the church was filled and everything was so _ivory_. Lilies were present everywhere Mark looked and they were absolutely _divine_.

The incoherent words were still trapped deep within Mark's throat. As his eyes finally made contact with Chelsea's form, his desperate struggle to get the words out of his throat became entirely futile. Then again, he wasn't even _trying_ to begin with. If the words were improper and embarrassing, he wasn't going to let them pour from his mouth. Simple as that.

He almost did not recognize his best friend at first. She looked immensely different, especially with such a formal dress on and her hair designed in such a way. Her deep blue eyes were the most memorable. The color of her eyes complemented her overall appearance. When she reached him and merrily looped her arm around his, she gave him one of her best smiles and it caused him to get weak in the knees.

Chelsea was absolutely _breathtaking_.

Mark could smell some type of exotic perfume drifting off of her and it made butterflies tear into his poor belly. All of a sudden, he couldn't think straight as the two of them walked down the aisle, arm in arm. Mark was tremendously sad when they parted ways, Chelsea going to the opposite side with the bridesmaids. Still having the breath stolen from him by Chelsea's wonderful look, Mark stood next to Will. Will gave him a respectful nod and Mark absentmindedly returned it, too busy thinking about Chelsea.

"At a loss for words?" Denny murmured from his other side, standing with his hands behind his back. He was trying to contain the wild guffaw that wanted to escape from his mouth.

Mark glanced at him quickly, a crimson color taking over his face. "What are you talking about?" he whispered back to him sharply, trying to play dumb.

"I saw you staring at Chelsea," muttered Denny through a barely concealed snicker. "Your eyes were on her the _entire_ walk down here. You looked like you were in a trance, man."

" _Shut up_ , Denny!" Mark exclaimed in a whisper as the music began to play. It wasn't the traditional bridal music, no. It was something else entirely. It started it off softly and then it picked up speed, but not too much. It still had a gentleness about it and it was beautiful. Mark's eyes managed to find Alisa's and she smiled at him kindly. He couldn't help but return it.

The bride soon made her appearance.

The song being played became even gentler as Lily began to walk down the aisle slowly, holding a bouquet of white lilies in her hands. Just like Will had mentioned, Lily looked thoroughly ravishing.

The treasure hunter's dark hair was pulled up into a neat and tight bun at the back of her head with a fray of bangs covering her forehead and hanging right above her eyes. Long strands of raven hair hung elegantly from the sides of her head, past her shoulders. There was a diamond embedded tiara atop her head, separating her bangs from her bun. Long ruby earrings hung from her ears and a diamond necklace decorated her throat. Her wedding dress was an ivory color and it fell all the way down to the ground, dragging behind her as she walked. The dress was purely astounding and hugged her figure nicely. It went without any straps or sleeves and was a little frilly on the top part of it. Long, white gloves clung to her hands, reaching all the way up past her elbows and ivory high heels adorned her small feet.

It was like Lily was sauntering through a haven of ivory as the haven's divine goddess. To Mark, it appeared as though she were gliding down the aisle nimbly. It was almost magical the way she moved as the music continued to play in the background. When Mark stole a quick glance at the groom, he could see his mouth wide open with complete shock and admiration. Mark stifled an amused chuckle and quickly reached over, closing Will's mouth for him. Will didn't even notice. The guy was too enraptured by his bride.

Once the bride finally reached the groom, she stood on the side with her maid of honor and bridesmaids, facing the groom. The groom turned to face her in return and the pastor stood back, but in the middle, prepared to say what he had to say. Alisa stood next to him, holding a pillow with the rings on top of it. The music slowly faded out.

"Dearly beloved," began Nathan in a loud and righteous voice, clearly sounding jolly for such an honorable event. "We are gathered here today in the sight of the Harvest Goddess, and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace."

All was silent.

Nathan went on, "I require and charge you both, as you will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment…"

Mark began to zone out as Nathan allowed more words to pour from his mouth. Honestly, the rancher had no idea that so much had to be said. He had never been to a wedding before and this was his first one. Were all weddings like this or was it the decision of the bride and groom? He wasn't sure. Mark started to pay attention again when it was time for Will and Lily to give away their vows.

"Lily, you are the fairest of maidens," Will talked regally, staring directly at Lily's face and nowhere else. His tone held a very strong emotion that Mark could identify as love. There was no mistaking it. "You are the sun, you send rays of true harmony upon the world. You are the moon, you light my path in the darkest of nights. You are my goddess, my love. I cannot see the rest of my days without you, Lily. It is truly impossible. My life cannot continue without you by my side. That is how much you mean to me. You have my heart, all of it. And I love you, Lily. I really do."

Mark raised an eyebrow at Will's vows. _Well…I guess he got a little creative with it. I wouldn't have come up with something like_ _ **that**_ _._

"William Terry Louis Andrew Carrick Jonathan Dredge Hams Reading Roger Southwark Alwick Plymouth Junior Regison III, you mean the entire world to me," Lily informed him, beginning her vows. All of those names that Will had made Mark's head spin. "Having you near me is an immense blessing. During my travels, I was not expecting to meet you, Will. I am glad I did because, well, we have committed the perfect crime."

Will's happy expression morphed into bewilderment and he stared at her intently. "…and what crime have we committed, love?"

"I stole your heart…and you stole mine," finished Lily with a half-smile, eyes twinkling with undisguised jubilance. Her smile was contagious because Will instantly started smiling too after seeing it.

Nathan simpered at the both of them and then spoke once again, "William, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after the Harvest Goddess's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor her, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will," answered Will.

Nathan then put his attention on Lily. "Lily, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after the Harvest Goddess's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will," responded Lily.

The pastor gestured for Alisa to come over with the rings, which she did immediately. The pink haired girl smiled honorably at the groom and bride, watching as they took the rings and placed them on each other's fingers. Once that was done, Alisa stepped back to observe once more.

"You may kiss the bride," concluded Nathan, speaking to Will directly.

With great care, Will lifted his hands and cupped Lily's cheeks, leaning forward and planting his lips upon hers in a sweet kiss. Lily wrapped her arms around his waist, clutching him close to her form, the bouquet of ivory lilies still in her grasp. Immediately, the whole church erupted into applauses.

Mark, who was watching the bride and groom share their kiss, started clapping, completely happy for them. _Everyone_ was happy for them.

When the couple parted, Lily tossed her lilies into the air with a short laugh. All the bridesmaids attempted to catch it, including the maid of honor, but someone unexpected caught it instead.

It was Alisa.

Alisa held the bouquet of lilies in her arms, looking just as shocked as everyone else. Soon laughter bounced around the room and the pink haired girl blushed in mild embarrassment, letting out a nervous laugh to join in on the merriment.

Mark was still in shock when he locked eyes with Chelsea. She was secretly pointing at Alisa with the bouquet and giving him a knowing wink, a rather massive smile occupying her face. Instantly, Mark's face flared up and he quickly looked away from her, already knowing what she was insinuating.

He and Alisa were _not_ going to get married in the future!

"Time for the reception!" Will announced regally, wrapping an arm around his new wife's waist and tugging her close. "What do you say, love?"

Lily nodded her head in agreement, leaning into him. "The wedding reception shall commence."

And so it did.

Mark had no clue what to expect. At first, he thought that the dancing would be the start of it, but it wasn't. All of the guests, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the maid of honor, and the newlyweds all sat down to eat lunch because it was around that time already. Mark sat with all the groomsmen, enjoying a plate of herb salad. Denny was right next to him, holding a conversation with Pierre and Elliot. From where he sat, he could see Chelsea at another table with the bridesmaids, laughing with each other and talking about something that was entirely unknown to him.

"Hey, Mark? You're zoning out again." Denny's voice penetrated his thoughts.

Mark put down his fork and turned his head to capture him within his gaze. "Huh? I am?"

"Yup," responded the fisherman, bobbing his head in a nod. "You are. I've been talking to you for the past five minutes, but you never responded."

"Oh…"

"Were you fantasizing about Chelsea again?" Denny wondered out loud.

Mark immediately clamped a hand over his best buddy's mouth, attempting to shut him up. As soon as he did, he felt something wet touch his palm and he yanked his hand back, grimacing. "You licked me!" he squalled in horror, staring at his wet hand.

"That's what you get for putting your dirty hand on my mouth!" Denny retaliated through a wild guffaw, jabbing a fork at him.

Mark felt offended. "My hands are not dirty!" He wiped his wet hand on his pants, grimacing once more. "You're disgusting, Denny!"

"What are you guys bantering about?" Pierre wanted to know from a few seats down, eyeing them strangely and with a raised eyebrow. The guy had an ivory top hat on to replace his purple one. "Who licked who?"

"Denny licked me!" Mark declared as fast as possible, glowering at the fisherman.

"That's only because you put your filthy hand on my mouth," countered Denny through an amused chortle. "Shouldn't have done that."

"I only did that because you don't know when to shut up!" retorted Mark vehemently.

Denny held up his hands. "No need to get nasty. I was only teasing you."

"And what were you teasing him about?" asked Elliot, finishing up a bowl of egg soup. "Sounds to me like you provoked him or something."

"I was only playing! Geez Louise!" complained Denny, going back to eating his own food. "Sheesh, sensitive much, Mark?"

Mark ignored him for now, grumpily going back to consuming his meal. The nervousness returned as he remembered that he had to do a toast for the newlywed couple. He had two options; do a toast for Will or do a toast for both Will _and_ Lily. Mark was leaning more toward the latter. He didn't even know the first thing he was going to say and he was sure that Denny was going to burst out laughing at him if he messed up. That was what his best pal did. Laugh at his mistakes.

"This good?" Shea, who was sitting between Denny and Pierre, spoke for the first time ever (Denny had told him to not speak at all during the ceremony and Shea took that as not to speak at all for the whole day, but Denny recently reminded the guy that he could talk again).

"Is what good?" Mark asked, trying to get his mind off of the toast he would soon have to do.

"Soup." Shea pointed down at the bowl in front of him. "Soup good?"

"Uh…I don't know what kind of soup that is, Shea," Mark answered truthfully. "It should be good. Everything that I've tasted so far has been really delicious."

Shea muttered something incoherently before digging into his soup.

"Hey, look." Denny nudged Mark's side, nodding at the table where the bridesmaids and maid of honor sat, giggling and talking about various subjects. "They're drinking wine. Where do you think they got that? How come we didn't get any?"

Mark stared at him oddly. "You drink wine?"

"Sometimes." Denny shrugged. "So?"

"So…"

"So?"

"So…nothing."

Denny rolled his eyes at him, but then perked up and sat up straighter. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Mark! Lanna and I are getting married in the fall. I finally told her how I felt and proposed to her. She accepted my proposal! And _you're_ going to be my best man at _my_ wedding!"

Mark almost choked on his food. " _What_?!"

Denny patted him on the back, laughing hard. "Don't worry, M. It's all good."

"No, it's not all good!" Mark yelped. "Why do _I_ have to be your best man?!"

"Because you're my best friend, Mark," Denny informed him, giving him a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, it'll be great."

Complaints and frustrated whines wanted to climb up Mark's throat and tumbled out of his mouth, but he kept them down, seeing the smile on his friend's face. Mark supposed that it wouldn't be so bad being Denny's best man. At least he was a good friend of his. He'd know what to say about Denny for a toast. Will was his friend too, but they weren't _that_ close. Mark trusted Denny with all of his secrets, feelings, and he often came to the guy for advice about certain things. So, Denny was right, he noted. It probably would be great. It wouldn't be extravagant or luxurious like Will's wedding, but it would be special in its own kind of way.

"You're right," Mark ululated, taking a bite of some curry bread. He found a plate of rice and beans and started eating that too, trying to ignore the nervousness that was once again bubbling up from within his belly. "Of course I'll be your best man, Denny. I don't know why I'm freaking out about it. I guess it's because I'm the best man at Will's wedding too. I hope nobody else asks me to be their best man…"

"I think Pierre wants you to be his best man at his wedding in the fall since he has no one else," Denny pointed out with a chortle. "Elliot too, in the summer."

Mark swallowed his rice and beans and leaned forward to look at Pierre and Elliot. They were both trying to pretend they didn't hear anything. Mark sat back in his chair and introduced his face to his palm, groaning while Denny patted his back comfortingly. When he finished with that, he lifted his head and could see Will and Lily sitting at one table. Sabrina had joined them and Will was chatting excitedly with his cousin. Regis was over there too, laughing about something Lily had said to him. It looked like they were all having such a nice time. Maybe it was time that he gave the toast now?

Clearing his throat, Mark grabbed his glass of water and an unused spoon. He stood up from his chair and repeatedly clanked the glass with the spoon, trying to grab everyone's attention. Mark wasn't sure how he was supposed to gather their attention, so he just did this instead. He made the decision to toast the bride and groom as a couple instead of individually. That was just weird, he decided.

At once, the gossiping calmed down into silence and all eyes turned to him. The music in the background even ceased and every single person within the church was staring directly at him. All of this attention was making him sweat and he swallowed hard, heart hammering against his chest. Mark hated being the center of attention.

"U-Um…" Mark began in a foolish stutter, eyes meeting Will's. Will was watching him closely, a half-smile on his lips. "I'd like to make, uh, a t-toast…to the newlyweds, Will and Lily."

"Go on then," whispered Denny encouragingly from beside him.

Mark swallowed his saliva and let his eyes dart around the several faces occupying the church. His eyes found Chelsea and she smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up. That gesture gave him new courage and he took in a deep breath and let it out. All the words started coming to him, even if they sounded choppy and full of unease.

"Well, I just want to say that…that Will and Lily are absolutely _perfect_ for each other," Mark spoke shakily, now staring at Will and Lily. "There is no reason why they shouldn't be here today, bound by marriage. I mean…just look at them."

Everyone now placed their attention on Will and Lily.

"They complement each other nicely," went on the blond farmer. "Seriously, something would be terribly wrong with the world if they weren't together right now. I honestly think Will is an honest and good gentleman. He's a great guy for Lily, and Lily's a great gal for Will." Now he was just rambling and he started to feel foolish, but everyone was wearing smiles.

Mark put his cup and spoon down and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…that's all I have to say. Oh! I hope you guys stay together forever. That's one of my countless wishes."

All the individuals began to applaud and Will lifted a glass of wine in Mark's direction, nodding in approval before taking a sip of it. Mark quickly nodded back at him and sat back down, relieved that he was done giving a toast. All of the chatter started back up again and it was loud once more within the church.

"Not the best toast ever, but it was okay," Denny input his opinion on Mark's toast. "I'm surprised you didn't faint!"

"Oh, hush…" mumbled Mark, stuffing his face with tofu sushi, becoming hungry again.

* * *

Chelsea shook her head and simpered after Mark was done speaking and took a sip of her wine. Normally, she did not drink wine. She only drank it on special occasions, like the wedding that she was currently attending. The wine was kind of bitter, but there was a sweet aftertaste. The brunette sat the glass down after swallowing and listened to the conversations between the other bridesmaids. Julia was sitting next to her, slurping up a bowl of noodles. She grinned and sometimes burst out laughing at what Lanna was clamoring about to Natalie. Sabrina had come back from Will's table and was now sitting with them again.

Getting more relaxed in her chair, Chelsea studied Sabrina closely as if she were examining an interesting exhibit in a museum. Chelsea wondered what Vaughn saw in her. Yes, Sabrina was a very sweet and shy girl, but that was all Chelsea could see. Chelsea never really made it a big effort to get to know the girl better or anything. Maybe now was the time to do so? Chelsea wanted to be a much closer friend to her, despite the fact that Vaughn took an interest in Sabrina and not her.

"Sabrina?" Chelsea talked, stealing the raven haired girl's attention.

Sabrina moved her eyes over to the farmer, mildly surprised that Chelsea was actually speaking to her. "Y-Yes, Chelsea? Is there something that you need?" she asked hesitantly.

"How are you doing? Happy that your cousin got married today?" Chelsea questioned in a jovial manner, trying to get the girl more comfortable with her.

"O-Oh…yes." Sabrina lowered her gaze to her lap. "W-Will's very happy."

Chelsea nodded. "Yeah, I know!"

"Chelsea?" Julia pinched Chelsea's arm to get her attention. Chelsea yelped and rubbed her arm, glowering at her best gal friend.

"Julia!" she yipped irefully. "What was that for?!"

"I _really_ need to tell you something…" Julia muttered quietly while Lanna and Natalie continued to communicate with each other. They even attempted to get Sabrina to join in on their conversation.

Chelsea realized that it must be the thing she was trying to tell her earlier. The brunette became serious and she leaned forward. "Do you want to step away from the table for a moment to tell me?" she whispered.

Julia nodded, getting up. "Yeah. That would be best." Then, she turned to the other girls, snagging Chelsea's arm and starting to pull her away. "Excuse us for a moment."

Chelsea found herself being dragged to a corner of the church and away from everyone. Once they were alone, Julia exhaled deeply and absentmindedly messed around with her long hair, ruminating. Chelsea wanted to be patient, but the suspense was killing her. "Julia?" she said, wanting the girl to tell her what was going on with her.

"I'm pregnant, Chelsea…"

Chelsea frowned, thinking that she didn't hear her right. "Pardon?"

"I'm _pregnant_ , Chelsea…!" exclaimed Julia in a rushed whisper, grabbing the other female's arms and shaking her lightly.

"What… _excuse me_?" Chelsea still wasn't sure if she was hearing Julia right. Did her friend just say that she was _pregnant_?!

Julia sighed noisily from her nose and released Chelsea's arms, wrapping her arms around herself. "How many times do I have to repeat myself, Chels? I'm _pregnant_ , okay?! I'm going to be a mother and Elliot's going to be a father!"

"Oh my Harvest Goddess…" Chelsea covered her mouth with trembling hands. "You're _pregnant_? B-But how?!"

"I went over to Elliot's one night and, well, you know…" Julia shrugged. "I'm not going into detail with you, but yeah. It happened and now I'm pregnant."

Chelsea lowered her hands. "Does…does Elliot know?"

"Of course he does," responded Julia quietly, still hugging herself. "Elliot was the first person that I told. Then I told my mom. She wasn't so happy about it since I wasn't married yet, but she's excited about becoming a grandmother. Elliot didn't tell his family yet. Taro would probably explode."

Chelsea put her hands behind her back in a contemplative manner. "Well…are you and Elliot happy about the baby?" she questioned.

"Yes, we are!" answered Julia jubilantly with a wide smile. "We didn't plan this, but we're prepared to take on the challenge of being parents. We already started thinking of names!"

"Well, as long as you guys are happy about it." Chelsea ended up smiling at her friend. "I'm happy for you guys. Can't wait to see what the baby looks like!"

Julia rubbed her flat stomach. "Yeah. Me too."

"You'll be a great mother, Julia," stated Chelsea, pulling Julia into a big hug.

Julia returned her hug. "Thank you, Chelsea."

After that was over, the two girls made their way back to the table and sat down. This time, Chelsea participated in the conversations that were flying around the table.

* * *

It was time for the dance.

Mark was freaking out.

The music was starting to play. Will and Lily danced first to a song of their choosing. Everyone watched as the newlyweds danced together. It was nice, but it eventually ended. Mark was terrified when it did. That meant that it was time for _everyone_ to dance, including the groom and bride. This was just a dance for fun, but Mark knew he was still supposed to dance with the maid of honor, which horrified him to no end.

Chelsea was the one who found him first. "Hey, Mark! Ready for this?" she questioned him through a jubilant laugh, hands clasped in front of her.

"Um…" Mark was still stunned by how different she looked. She was still Chelsea, but she was so beautiful. "Y-Yeah…I'm ready," he muttered nervously, sweating already.

Chelsea moved in and clamped one hand on his shoulder, her left hand going to grab his right. Her fingers wrapped around his hand and it felt nice. It was like their hands fit perfectly with each other. Mark hesitantly gripped her hand back, placing his sweaty hand on her hip.

"Gosh, Mark. You're so tense, and you're gripping my hand too hard…my waist too," informed Chelsea within a small chortle. "Relax. Just do what I do. I'll lead, okay?"

"S-Sorry…!" Mark loosened his grip on her hand and hip, forcing himself to relax. He was actually going to dance with _Chelsea_! "I'll try…"

Chelsea hummed in response to that and started moving very slowly so that he could keep up. A very soft and serene song began to play gently all around them. The bridesmaids began to dance with the groomsmen; Will danced with Lily once more. Mark tried not to step on Chelsea's feet as they moved across the floor slowly. He kept his eyes down, watching their feet move so that he wouldn't accidentally harm her. Everyone else was moving at a regular pace, but they were moving like turtles. Mark felt foolish and a little bit embarrassed, but it was nice being so close to Chelsea.

"Mark, eyes on me."

Mark snapped his head up, peering at her face and blushing soon after. "Huh?"

"Your eyes were on our feet the entire time," commented the brunette, shaking her head. "You have to look at me as we dance, silly. Can't have your head down."

Mark's blushing intensified by her remark and he nodded shortly. "Okay…"

The two of them continued to dance at an overly slow pace, Chelsea leading the way the entire time. Then, completely out of the blue, Denny came on by and whisked Chelsea away while laughing wildly.

"H-Hey…!" Mark yelped, astonished.

"Sorry, but I have to take her away for a moment! We're going to dance like there's no tomorrow! Right, Chelsea?" Denny queried, peering at Chelsea and holding her hand in his as the music playing began to change. It was now something fast and vigorous, totally upbeat.

Chelsea gave a nod. "Right! But first…!" The female rancher waltzed over to an oblivious Alisa who had been engaged in a deep conversation with Nathan. Without any warning whatsoever, the brunette grasped the girl's hand and tugged her over in Mark's direction. Discombobulated protests and questions poured from Alisa's mouth, but Chelsea ignored her and shoved her into Mark.

Gasping in shock, Alisa stumbled forward, crashing into Mark's body. Mark took a few steps back from the force, wrapping his arms around the pink haired girl to capture her in his grasp so she wouldn't fall. Alisa had her arms tightly around his waist and her face pressed into his chest. Realizing how close they were, Mark flushed and looked at Chelsea in disbelief.

Chelsea winked at him. "Have fun!" she sang. Through with that, the farmer grabbed Denny's hand and the guy twirled her. As Denny twirled her, he gave Mark a sympathetic expression. It was obvious that Denny had no clue Chelsea was going to do that.

"I-I am so sorry, Mark!" Alisa spoke, jerking away from Mark in shame. "I did not mean to crash into you like that! Chelsea…she pushed me! I really don't know what has gotten into her!"

"I don't either!" yawped the blond, using the back of his hand to wipe the perspiration from his forehead. He stared elsewhere, unwilling to look directly at her angelic face. "Um…are you okay though?"

"I am. Thank you for asking," Alisa answered in her gentle voice, quickly getting over the fact that Chelsea had shoved her into Mark for reasons that were unknown to her. "And you, Mark? You're sweating and you're so flushed!" Now, the girl looked heavily concerned.

Mark still refused to look at her, heart sinking to the darkest depths of his being. Chelsea had done that on purpose. Still thinking that he liked Alisa (which was a lie), she had pushed Alisa at him in hopes for them to dance or something, maybe talk. Mark seriously did not want that. All he wanted was to spend time with Chelsea. He didn't like Alisa at all in that way even though she was a very nice girl. Once again, Mark was regretting formulating that lie about him liking her.

"Am I?" retorted Mark in a mumble.

Alisa reached a hand out and touched his cheek with her soft fingers. "Oh my! You're burning up! Should I call a doctor?" she asked worriedly.

Mark grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her hand away from his face, forcing out a nervous laugh. "N-No, you don't have to! I'm perfectly fine! Ha!" Mark mentally punched himself for sounding so stupid. "It's just… _really_ hot in here! Don't you think it's hot in here?"

Alisa cocked her head to the side, imitating a curious feline. "It is…warm, yes."

"See? I'm not the only one!" Mark released a goofy guffaw, rubbing the back of his head and trying to appear normal. To him, he sounded the complete opposite. If he wanted, he could join the circus as a clown. He'd fit right in!

A soft smile stretched Alisa's lips and a mild giggle managed to slip out of her mouth. She clasped her hands together in front of her and shook her head. "I suppose you are right, Mark."

"Yeah…" Mark looked away from her, continuing to feel foolishly foolish.

"Maybe we should get you some water," said Alisa after a moment of silence. "I am worried about your health."

Mark glanced at Denny and Chelsea who were getting down on the dance floor to some upbeat music. People were surrounding them and cheering them on. Mark wished he could dance, he _so_ wished he could dance. "Okay then," he sighed. "Let's go get some water."

They did that.

Eventually, the reception came to an end and Mark did the rest of his duties as best man. He made sure all of the soon to be paid participants got their money and took care of the rest. When he was done, he helped Will and Lily make a smooth exit out of the church and he rode with them on Kirk's boat back to Sprout Island. Mark made sure to keep his conversations with them brief since he knew that they wanted to have conversations between themselves. Will and Lily talked about what their honeymoon was going to be like the entire time.

When they got back to Will's yacht, Will brought his horse, Arthur, to Mark and gave it to him. "We're going to be gone for two weeks," commented Will with a dashing grin. "It would mean a lot if you would take care of Arthur until I return."

"Sure thing, Will," Mark tiredly claimed, taking the reins of the white stallion. "I'll take good care of him."

"Thank you!" Will proclaimed, delighted.

"We really appreciate you attending our wedding, Mark," spoke Lily, standing next to her husband.

Will nodded in agreement. "And thank you very much for being my best man. Oh, and that toast was marvelous. I was flattered."

Mark's cheeks reddened. "It wasn't…anything special. I only said what came to mind. Gosh, I was so nervous."

"We thank you for that." Lily gave him a respectful bow.

"It was nothing, really…" Mark started to smile at the two of them. He reached into his pocket and took out the two tickets for Moonshine Islands, handing them over to Will. "I hope you two have a great time on Moonshine Islands."

"We will." Will took the tickets from him, pocketing them. Then, he scooped his wife up into his arms, holding her bridal style. Lily was quick to wrap her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face into the side of his neck. "Well, Mark. This is where we part ways!"

"Alright," Mark said. "Have a safe trip.

"Thank you."

Will carried Lily onto his yacht and disappeared from sight. After about ten minutes, the yacht started moving away from the dock and going out at sea.

Mark lifted a hand and waved even though they probably couldn't see him do it.

It wasn't so bad being best man after all.


	20. Out With Vaughn

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XX: Out With Vaughn

* * *

Vaughn rolled over on to his side, stretching out his limbs and listening to his muscles pop. It felt nice. When he was done stretching, the cowboy got out of his bed and concluded that he was going to get ready for the day. The man had to journey back to Sunshine Islands today to do some work. It was Monday and he was there for Monday and Tuesday, then he'd go back to the city and to his apartment, which was where he was now. It was a pain having to go all the way to Sunshine Islands for two days, but he dealt with it. Besides, it wasn't so bad anymore. The guy was actually starting to make _real_ friends. Denny wasn't such a bad guy and Chelsea wasn't _too_ annoying. Mark was an okay person to be around and wasn't as annoying as Chelsea. And Sabrina, well, she calmed him. There was nothing annoying about Sabrina and he genuinely _enjoyed_ being around her.

Sabrina had been swimming around his mind ever since he met her, especially after the night they spent together underneath the starry sky. She had made him doughnuts and they had been _delicious_. They were _perfect_ , he believed. It was really nice, but Vaughn never told her that. Sabrina seemed very happy about it though. He knew because he had witnessed the expression on her facial features. There were so many positive emotions that had been on her face and they had been absolutely _vivid_.

The silver haired cowboy went to his bathroom across the hall from his room and shut the door behind him. He got the shower started and waited for it to warm up. It always took five minutes for it to do so. As he waited for it to get warm, he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at his reflection. All he saw was a cold face with purple colored eyes.

Sometimes he didn't like capturing the sight of himself. When he did, he saw a hollow and lonely person and he _hated_ knowing that was a fact. It made him grimace and turn away from the mirror. He quickly got out of his pajamas and put his hand under the shower water. It was warm.

Not wasting anymore time, Vaughn got into the shower and allowed the warm liquid to touch his skin and hair. He grasped a bottle of shampoo and squeezed some on his hand before bringing it up to his hair. The guy scrubbed his hair good, using his fingers. When he was done with shampooing his hair, he got a bottle of soap and started washing his body.

Vaughn didn't like to take too long in the shower. He was done in fifteen minutes. The animal trader dried off with a towel and then got dressed into his usual cowboy getup, throwing on his hat last. He made himself a cup of coffee, gulped it all down, brushed his teeth, and then fled his apartment to catch the next boat to Sunshine Islands.

It didn't take too long to arrive to Sunshine Islands. It took about three hours. Vaughn exited the ship with his bag, already noticing that Will's yacht was missing. Vaughn guessed that Will and Lily probably left for their honeymoon already. It was a possibility since Chelsea had conveyed to him about the wedding that they were going to have. Vaughn didn't care about the wedding, but he _did_ care about Sabrina…and Will was her cousin. He was beginning to think he should have gone to the wedding. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice. Work was more important to him than some guy's wedding.

A heavy exhale escaped his mouth as he entered Mirabelle's Shop. Immediately, he was attacked by Julia. She tackled him with a hug and he ended up collapsing to his back on the hard ground with her on top of him. Pain shot across his back and rocketed up his spine. The wind had been knocked out of him and he struggled to get some air into his lungs. His cousin's arms were around his neck and she was nuzzling his cheek with affection.

Vaughn was now _beyond_ irritated!

"Julia…" he growled out through all of the agony he was experiencing from the girl's brutal hug. "Get off of me!"

"Sorry!" Julia hopped off of him and held out a hand for him to help him up.

Grumbling under his breath about idiots, the cowboy took her hand and allowed her to help him to his feet. "Mind telling me what the heck that was all about?" Vaughn demanded to know in a very angry tone.

This wasn't the first time something like this happened to him. Whenever he came back from the city, Julia would always brutally assault him with one of her vicious hugs. For some unfathomable reason, he was _always_ caught off guard by it and frequently ended up on the ground with his cousin on top of him, crushing his poor body. It was horribly vexing and Vaughn sometimes felt like shoving her off of him and hurting _her_ , but he could never bring himself to do it. Julia was his cousin, but she was almost like a sister. He didn't want to physically harm his 'sister'. Anyway, Vaughn was caught completely unaware by her and that made him ireful.

"I am _so_ sorry, Vaughn!" Julia did not sound sorry; she sounded overly amused and was battling to keep a smile from curling her lips. "Did I hurt you?"

Vaughn dusted off his attire, fixing his hat atop his head. He made sure the anger he was feeling at that moment was purely evident on his features. "Yes," he commented through clenched teeth, almost seething. "You did."

"Again, I'm sorry!" Julia caterwauled, giggling afterward. "Anyway, I have great news, Vaughn!"

The cowboy wasn't interested in her news and he shoved his hands into his pockets, walking toward the front counter to greet his aunt. "Do I have to hear it?" he asked dully.

"Yes!" yawped Julia, crossing her arms over her chest and becoming annoyed with her cousin's uninterested attitude. "You _have_ to!"

Mirabelle cleared her throat from behind the front counter, resting her elbows on top of it. "This is important, Vaughn. You have to listen to what she has to say." The older woman seemed a little indifferent to what was being spoken of, but it was as if she were trying to hold back some form of happiness. It was very odd and Vaughn actually started to feel concerned. Did something foreign occur?

"What's going on?" Vaughn demanded to know, voice going hard and face getting colder.

Julia glanced at her mother before letting out a deep breath. "I'm pregnant, Vaughn."

Vaughn froze, blinking several times. "You're _what_?" Did he hear her right?

"I'm pregnant!" responded the attractive blonde, clapping her hands and grinning widely. "Elliot and I are going to be parents! We're going to have a baby!"

The livestock dealer opened his mouth, but closed it. Then, he opened his mouth again and closed it soon after. He was quiet for a long moment, unsure of what to say or think. Julia, his cousin, was pregnant? It was so odd to him. Vaughn could not see her being a mother.

"You're not even married yet…"

Mirabelle threw up her hands. "That's what I told her!"

"So?" Julia sent her mother a sharp gaze. "Does it matter? We're getting married next season. We'll be married before the baby is born, mom. Just calm down." Huffing, the female turned her attention back to the cowboy. "So, Vaughn, what do you think?"

"Congratulations," remarked Vaughn in an uninterested tone of voice, leaning against the counter and folding his arms. "Let me know when the baby is born."

Julia gave him a look. "That's it?"

"That's it," confirmed the cold individual.

The beautiful woman was about to open her mouth to throw a complaint his way, but the door to the shop opened and Mark strolled on in, wearing his blue cap, rucksack, and all. When he caught sight of Vaughn, he blinked and then sent him a friendly smile.

"Good morning, Vaughn," greeted the blond, sauntering over to join them. "I forgot that it was Monday already. Are you going to the Spring Crop Festival?"

"Oh! I forgot that was coming up!" piped up Julia. "At the end of this week, right?"

Mark nodded. "Correct. Chelsea's been preparing herself for it."

Vaughn raised an eyebrow when Mark mentioned the other farmer. "Didn't she win last season and the season before that too?" he questioned him.

Mark glanced at the cowboy, surprised that he was voluntarily speaking to him. "Uh, yeah. Isn't she awesome?" he spoke with a large smile plastered upon his face. He approached the counter and looked at Mirabelle. "I need some chicken feed and some fodder, please."

"Coming right up!" Mirabelle left to go get the things he needed.

"Can't believe spring is almost over!" Julia stated.

Mark nodded. "I know."

"Cucumbers this year?" Vaughn icily spoke again, staring at Mark in question.

"Huh?" Mark's eyebrows shot up.

"Cucumbers. The Spring Crop Festival…" elaborated the silver haired man.

"Oh, yeah! Yeah…cucumbers." Mark gave him a short nod. "That's right. I've been helping Chelsea grow some cucumbers. I think she's going to win this season too."

Vaughn didn't say anything after that. Eventually, Vaughn's aunt returned with what Mark needed and gave him his things. The rancher placed everything into his rucksack and paid the woman before leaving, commenting that he needed to continue to help Chelsea with her ranch and everything. Julia left to go spend some time with Elliot and Mirabelle got to more work. Having nothing else to do, Vaughn also got to work with his job and everything.

Vaughn completed his work in the afternoon, earlier than usual. The man wanted to grab some lunch with Julia, but she told him that she had already promised Elliot that she would have lunch with him. So, Vaughn had gotten lunch by himself at Nick's Diner. It was a quick lunch and he didn't stay there to chat with anyone, even if he did recognize some of the people he had become acquainted with. Not really thinking much about it, Vaughn traveled to Ranch Island to see how well Chelsea and Mark were taking care of the animals.

[….]

Chelsea gathered up an armful of potatoes and turnips and hurried over to Mark who had just left the chicken coop. "Mark, I need you to ship these!" she exclaimed, dumping all of her arm's contents into Mark's. She pointed over to the shipping bin next to her house. "Go on! I need to water the rest of the crops! Oh, did you feed the chickens?"

"Yup!" Mark cheerily replied, heading over to the shipping bin and stuffing everything inside. "I talked to them too, so they're good. I also took care of the cows and the horses too. Man, I wish Will was back so he could take Arthur back. Now we have to take care of _two_ horses."

"Well, it's not so bad!" narrated Chelsea, removing her watering can from her rucksack and beginning to drench the rest of her crops with water. "Arthur is a sweetheart and I think he really likes you, Mark."

Mark shrugged, strolling back over to his companion and taking out a bag of turnip seeds from his rucksack. "Eh, I guess. Too bad Honey doesn't feel the same way about me." Honey was the name of Chelsea's horse.

"Honey will warm up to you. Just give her some time." Chelsea finished watering the crops and put her watering can away. Done with that, she started pulling up weeds from the ground and plucking up pebbles. "Honey is a sweetheart too."

Mark rolled his green eyes, tossing some turnip seeds into the soil below his feet. "Right," he sarcastically remarked, shaking his head.

Chelsea laughed at her best friend, managing to separate a weed from the ground. When she started making her way to the shipping bin, she looked over her shoulder and just watched Mark plant the turnip seeds. The guy seemed really focused on what he was doing and he appeared to be enjoying himself immensely. It was true that Mark took great pleasure in being a rancher like herself. They loved doing the same thing. There was no question why they were best friends. Chelsea placed all of the weeds and pebbles into the shipping bin and then looked at the male again. He was now watering the seeds he had just put into the ground. Chelsea swept her gaze over his green eyes and just mysteriously stared.

Did Mark always have such nice eyes? They were so _green_. The color was bright and so very vivid. It portrayed his positive emotions clearly. His eyes were so full of life and highly vibrant. The color of his eyes was so nice and it showed how much kindness Mark was capable of conveying to others. Mark was a sweetheart, that was the truth, but had he always been that way? Did his eyes always seem that way to her or was this the first time she was _really_ seeing them for what they truly were?

Feeling incredibly weird for staring at her best friend like that, Chelsea forced herself to look away and scratched her arm uncomfortably. What in the world was _wrong_ with her? Deciding that it was too odd, Chelsea ceased her thoughts about it and was about to go over and help him out, but they had an unexpected visitor.

It was _Vaughn_!

Instantly, her heart did a frantic dance within her chest and attempted to burst out. It was so loud that it was ringing in her ears. The brunette could feel a giddiness touch her soul and she became nervous like she always did around her crush. Happy, Chelsea hurried over to greet him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Vaughn! What are you doing here on Ranch Island?" questioned Chelsea, curiosity coloring her tone. "Not that it's a bad thing or anything. It's just…you _rarely_ pay me a visit."

Vaughn had his hands in his pockets and he was giving her one of his usual cold expressions. "I didn't come here to visit you," he gruffly lamented. "I came here to check up on your animals, make sure you're taking proper care of them."

"Well, that's insulting!" Mark yawped loudly, venturing over to the duo and planting his hands on his hips. "Are you implying that we probably don't take good care of the animals on this ranch? If you are…that's not cool."

"I _never_ said you weren't taking proper care of them," drawled Vaughn in an annoyed tone. "I am here to _make sure_ you are taking proper care of them."

Mark scoffed. "Same thing. You _think_ we aren't taking proper care of them, so that's why you came here to _make sure_. Get it, Vaughn?"

Vaughn stared at him for a long moment before opening his mouth and stating bluntly, "You're annoying me. And you're giving me a headache."

"Same old frosty guy, huh?" Now, Mark seemed a little miffed himself. "And I thought I was considering you a friend of mine. Guess not."

Stiffening, Vaughn gave Mark one of his coldest looks and it actually made the blond rancher take a few steps back, guilt flashing across his face.

"Vaughn, I'm sorry…" Mark immediately apologized, feeling bad for what he said.

"Save it," growled Vaughn.

Chelsea, who had been listening to the entire conversation in deep worriment, was beginning to feel annoyed too. She was annoyed with both men. "Would you two just cut it out already?" she talked, vexed. "You guys are friends whether you want to be or not. It's simple as that!"

Mark looked at her. "Chelsea-"

"Just be quiet, Mark!" Chelsea cut him off violently, frowning in his direction. "Please. You're going to make things worse. Why don't you finish planting the turnips, huh?"

Hurt was written on Mark's features and he turned around, quickly going back to work without a word. Chelsea felt bad for being that way with him, but she was fed up with their bantering. Now, putting on a smile, the brunette turned to look at Vaughn who was staring at her with an untellable expression occupying his face.

"The animals are fine, Vaughn," she told him. "There's no need to worry."

"Fine…" mumbled the cowboy. "Do you want to go somewhere? I have nothing to do right now." The way he said it made it seem like he really _didn't_ want to go anywhere with her.

Chelsea was shocked that he was asking her something like that, but her heart swelled with jubilance and she nodded her head rapidly. "Sure! I just have to get cleaned up real quick and I'll be right out!"

"Fine," grumbled the silver haired guy, giving her his back and tugging the front of his hat down to cover his eyes. "Don't take your time though. My time is valuable and I don't want to waste it because you decided you wanted to take an hour long shower."

Becoming used to his rudeness, Chelsea rolled her eyes at him and started jogging to her house. "Whatever, Vaughn! I don't take long showers! It usually takes ten minutes for me to finish, so there!"

When she was done getting cleaned up, Chelsea made her way back outside. She had secretly prepared some porridge for Vaughn, knowing that it was his favorite food. The porridge was safely resting in her rucksack and she was planning on giving it to him at the end of their little outing. Chelsea was so excited that it was becoming difficult to remove the smile from her face.

Mark was nowhere to be found, but Chelsea thought nothing of it. All she could think about was spending time with Vaughn. Chelsea made a mental note to find Mark later and apologize for the ways he spoke to him.

"Okay, Vaughn! Let's go!" Chelsea chirped like a bird on a beautiful morning.

Vaughn raised an eyebrow at her happy tone, but gave her a short nod and started walking, leading the way. Chelsea walked alongside him merrily.

Chelsea soon found herself on the beach with the cowboy. The girl removed her red boots so that she could feel the sand beneath her bare feet. She tried to get Vaughn to take off his cowboy boots, but the silver haired individual appeared appalled by that idea and refused immediately. Chelsea was disappointed, but she only shrugged and was the only one to feel the sand on her feet.

The two of them walked together leisurely, side by side. Vaughn loosely had his hands in his pockets and Chelsea had her hands behind her back, holding onto her red boots. It was quiet between them and Chelsea didn't want to break it by spitting out words. She thought that it might annoy the guy, so she kept her mouth shut.

"Your ranch is doing okay?" Vaughn suddenly asked without looking at her. "You always seem busy."

Chelsea was startled by the question, but she collected herself and answered easily, "You saw it. What do you think?"

"Don't know…"

Chelsea shrugged. "It's going great, especially with Mark's help."

Vaughn nodded, face blank. "You do most of the work?"

"Well, yeah, I guess…Mark only helps whenever I ask him to," Chelsea responded. "So, it's mostly me on my own."

"You handle things all by yourself?"

"Mostly."

"I respect you for that."

"Huh?!" Chelsea halted her trekking, turning to face him with wide eyes. "You…what?"

Vaughn now looked irritated, stopping so that he could look at her. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

"N-No…I'm just…" Chelsea's face heated up with a blush and she glanced away. "I'm just surprised you actually said that to me."

"Just stating a fact," mumbled the cowboy.

"Well, thank you…" said Chelsea very quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a nervous manner. "Um…I respect you too, you know. Just as much as you do me."

Vaughn's eyes widened slightly and his cheeks turned a pinkish hue. He quickly grasped the brim of his hat and tugged it down to cover most of his face, trying to hide the fact that he was blushing. "Thank you," he muttered. He wasn't used to hearing that and it was nice hearing something like that from someone, even if it was just Chelsea.

Chelsea gave him a big smile and then reached into her rucksack, taking out the porridge she had prepared for him. With red cheeks, she held it out for him and said, "This is for you, Vaughn."

"P-Porridge?" Vaughn's purple colored eyes grew bigger and he hesitantly reached over, taking the bowl of porridge and bringing it close to him. "You made me…porridge?!"

Chelsea nodded, watching as his face started to turn red. "Yeah!" she responded cheerfully, heart hammering against her chest painfully. Would he like it?

"How'd you know this is my favorite?" Vaughn demanded to know, quickly accepting a spoon Chelsea held out for him. He instantly began to eat his favorite food, enjoying it immensely and highly grateful for such a gift.

Chelsea put her hands behind her back and couldn't stop grinning. "Um…I might have asked Mirabelle about that. Couldn't help myself! It wasn't too hard to make."

"Thanks!"

Again, Chelsea was astonished by how Vaughn was behaving. She wasn't sure how he would react to his favorite food, but she was really pleased about it. It made her heart flutter with a great amount of hope. It was the hope that Vaughn could maybe be hers one day. She would very much love to be his. Chelsea wanted to tell him how she felt about him, but could she really do it? Did she really have the courage to go along with it?

"Um, Vaughn…?" chattered Chelsea in a shaky voice. Her words were almost choppy and incoherent. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought she was going to faint.

Vaughn continued to eat his porridge, but he ceased his actions when she spoke to him again. He gave her his attention and lowered the bowl a little bit, now staring directly at her.

"Do you…um…" Chelsea looked away from him, scratching her cheek with one hand and holding her red boots with the other. "Are you and Sabrina…together?"

Vaughn almost choked on his porridge from the unexpected question and he started coughing. Chelsea was kind enough to pat him on the back a few times as he did. While he continued his coughing fit, Chelsea spat out a few hasty apologies. After a moment of this, Vaughn calmed down enough to ask, "What?"

"It's…a simple question…" whispered Chelsea.

"Why are you asking me that?" Vaughn retaliated, narrowing his eyes at her and becoming defensive.

The brunette felt embarrassed and she still did not look at him. The girl only kept her eyes on the ocean, the breeze blowing her hair. "U-Um…just wondering…"

Vaughn watched her suspiciously before saying, "No. We are not."

"R-Really?" Chelsea exclaimed loudly.

"Really…" Vaughn looked at her with a massive amount of suspicion now. "What's this all about, Chelsea?"

Chelsea blushed at the sound of her name coming from his mouth, but she rapidly got over it and started walking again, pushing out a laugh. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all! Come on, Vaughn! We still got the whole day ahead of us!"

Vaughn stared after her curiously before rolling his eyes and following her along the beach, going back to eating his delicious porridge.


	21. A Rancher's Life

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXI: A Rancher's Life

* * *

Pursing his lips in an upset fashion, Mark shoved his hands into the pockets of his overalls as he stared at the spring of the Harvest Goddess. Recalling how Chelsea spoke to him back on her ranch made him want to jump off of a cliff. Why did she care about Vaughn so much? It was like she completely disregarded him whenever Vaughn was around. Mark could understand her affection toward him and understood how much she wanted to be around him, but did that mean she had to pretend like he didn't exist when it happened? He wasn't a part of her world whenever Vaughn was near her. All her thoughts would be turned into mush and her brain would be overrun by contemplations of the silver haired cowboy. The way she had spoken to him hurt him. It was like she wanted nothing to do with him and just wanted to focus on Vaughn. Mark so terribly wanted to support her affections for the animal trader, but it was so _difficult_. He _adored_ Chelsea, and the thought of her ending up with Vaughn made his heart sink.

Mark wished he had the courage to convey his feelings to the farmer girl. The blond frequently thought that it was inappropriate and out of place for him to tell her how he felt since she had eyes for someone else. He was supposed to be her best friend, not her lover. And that was all Chelsea saw him as. Her best friend. That was it. Nothing more. They had a great friendship with each other; Mark didn't want to ruin that by making it awkward between them. That was another one of his fears. The number one fear was being rejected by her and watching her end up with Vaughn instead of him. Mark wondered what was so special about Vaughn. The guy was rude, frosty, and didn't like to socialize.

"Why, Chelsea? Why?" Mark ululated to himself, kicking a nearby rock in his frustration. The rock was hurled into the air and it disappeared within the water of the spring. He hoped the Harvest Goddess didn't think that was an offering.

What would Denny do in his situation? Mark knew that his best buddy would remain positive about it. Actually, the fisherman probably would have confessed a long time ago. That realization only made Mark feel worse inside and he tried furiously to keep his tears of frustration away. He wasn't Denny and he never would be.

"Mark? I wasn't expecting to see you back here so soon," Nathan vociferated in a calm tone, approaching the distraught rancher from behind. "What brings you here on such short notice? Did you come here for more questions? There is a wedding coming up in the summer and two in the fall. Will you be attending all of those as well?"

Whirling around to face the pastor, Mark got rid of the upset expression that had been occupying his facial features and threw on a falsely happy look. "Good afternoon, pastor Nathan. Yeah, I'll be attending _all_ of those weddings unfortunately, but I don't have questions about them. I'm just here to, uh…" Mark did not want to tell him about his troubles. "…I'm here to see Alisa." Yup, he decided to lie again.

"Truly?" queried Nathan, obviously not buying Mark's obvious fib. "Didn't you tell me you did not like Alisa?"

Mark shrugged, turning away from him and heading toward the church. "Yeah, I did. Doesn't mean I can't go visit her and talk to her."

"Mark, is there something the matter?" Nathan wanted to know, following the blond rancher over to the structure. "Is there something bothering you? If there is, you can tell me, you know. I am here if you need someone to listen."

"Thank you, pastor, but…I'm alright." Mark did not look at him again as he entered the church, making sure the door shut behind him. After he was in, he could immediately see Alisa standing in front of the statue of the Harvest Goddess, hands grasping each other in front of her. It looked like she was praying.

Alisa twirled around unexpectedly and her eyes lit up with joy at the sight of him. She met him halfway and gave him a large simper, pleased to see him. "Mark, it is so good to see you again," she quipped in her harmonic voice. "Things are going so well with the church."

"Oh yeah?" Mark sadly returned her smile. "That's great. It's good to see you again too, Alisa. Um…how are you doing today?" he questioned.

Alisa was happy that he asked how she was doing and she responded gently, "I am very well, Mark. Thank you so much for asking. How is the ranch doing? I know it belongs to Chelsea, but isn't it your ranch too?"

"Well, I only help out whenever Chelsea asks me to," yapped Mark, shrugging. "That's it, I guess. But it feels like it's my ranch too, if you get what I mean, since I work on it so much. Anyway, it's going very well."

"That is wonderful, Mark," Alisa lamented quietly, smiling at him. "I really like to hear about the farm because I have only ever worked at the church. Nowhere else. I love the idea of a job where you raise and take care of living things. It _is_ hard work, but it must be rewarding."

Mark listened to the words that poured out of the young woman's mouth and was a little surprised. Alisa liked to hear about the ranch? She was actually interested in something like that other than the Harvest Goddess? Mark thought that was cool and he ended up smiling at her again. "Yes, it's very rewarding," he agreed, nodding his head. "Taking care of the cows, chickens, and the horses…it's really hard work, but it's fun. Plus, you get something out of it…enjoyment. It's fun growing crops too because you're able to create your own food instead of going somewhere to buy it."

"I am very happy to hear that you think it is a rewarding job," stated Alisa, never wiping the smile off of her face. "I used to grow flowers in the church's garden. Whenever I saw the flowers grow because I watered them, I got a feeling of great satisfaction. I guess…I guess it kind of made me feel needed in a way, you know?" Alisa looked away from him and at the statue of the Harvest Goddess, a fist at her chest. "Although…it usually doesn't feel like I am."

"What?" Mark gave her a look, becoming slightly concerned. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Are you saying you don't feel like you're needed?"

Alisa's eyes were big. "I-I…!"

"If you think something stupid like that, then you're wrong on so many levels!" Mark told her, voice getting louder. His face held determination and his green eyes were lit with pure conviction. "Everyone is needed in some way, even if they think they aren't! You're needed, Alisa! You always will be needed! Don't you ever think otherwise, okay?"

Alisa was staring at Mark in complete shock and gratitude. "M-Mark…!"

The blond tightened his grip on her shoulders shaking his head. "You are needed by the church…and Nathan needs you too, Alisa! I… _I_ need you!"

Everything got quiet.

When Mark realized what he said, he let go of the woman's shoulders and took a large step back, face flaring up with a horrible blush. "W-Wait! That came out wrong! I-I mean…I…y-you're my friend, so…I need you, b-but…!" Mark kept stumbling over his words and sounding so foolish. The guy was so embarrassed that he just wanted to burst out of the church and jump into the ocean.

Alisa's cheeks were painted pink and she smiled softly at the rancher, shaking her head at his words. "I understand, Mark. There's no need to explain yourself. I consider you a friend as well, a very good one," she said truthfully and with kindness, looking very happy. "Thank you for your kind words, Mark. I think…I think I _needed_ to hear that."

Mark swallowed hard and was relieved Alisa did not take what he said the wrong way. He lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, still embarrassed. "You're welcome," he said quietly.

"Thank you so much for coming to visit me, Mark." Alisa's cheeks were still as pink as her hair and she acted a little embarrassed from Mark's previous words. "I really appreciate it, Mark."

"No problem, Alisa." Mark ended up forgetting his foolish embarrassment and his clownish words and gave the pink haired girl a peace sign. "Anytime."

Alisa sighed happily and then looked at the statue of the Harvest Goddess again. "I guess you are leaving now then?" she questioned.

"Yeah," replied Mark, putting his hands in his pockets. "Hoping to run into Chelsea. I could stop by another day to visit you…if you want me to. I bet you get lonely sometimes, right? Even though you have Nathan. Didn't you tell me you rarely spoke with people your own age?"

"That's right," responded Alisa.

Mark nodded. "Okay then. I'll make sure to stop by another day and we can chat."

"I'd like that." Alisa smiled at him. "Thank you, Mark…goodbye."

"Bye, Alisa." Mark whipped around and then hurried out of the church, passing by a questioning Nathan and then heading to the boat so that Kirk could take him back to Ranch Island.

After he was back on Ranch Island, he thanked Kirk for the ride and then sluggishly walked to his house. As soon as he got inside, he slammed the door behind him and crashed into his bed, pressing his face into his fluffy pillow. Immediately, thoughts of Chelsea flooded his brain and he remembered what happened earlier that day. It made him really sad inside and he felt like doing nothing.

"What am I going to do?" he moaned into his pillow, shutting his eyes tightly.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door. Mark lifted his head from his pillow and rushed to the door, thinking it was Chelsea. When he yanked the door open, he was greatly disappointed to find that it wasn't Chelsea at all. Unfortunately, it was Denny and he was wearing a grin on his face. He held a bag of food in his hand and he waved it around cheerily.

"Oh, it's you…" Mark mumbled, turning around and walking back to his bed. He repeated the process of crashing back into his bed and pressed his face into his pillow once more.

"Wow, you sound really happy to see me!" Denny squawked, tone lathered with sarcasm. He kicked the door shut with his foot and walked deeper into the small house. The fisherman strolled on over to a table and placed the bag of food on it. "What's up with you, man?"

Mark only groaned in response.

Raising an eyebrow, Denny left the food on the table and approached the bed. Once there, he started poking Mark's still body. Each time he poked him he received a miserable groan in return. Denny did that for a long while before Mark started complaining for him to stop. Denny laughed at him and then sat down on the bed next to his friend.

"What's wrong, Mark?" Denny asked, finally becoming serious. "This isn't like you. Does this has something to do with Chelsea and Vaughn?"

"How'd you know that?" Mark rebutted, voice muffled because of his face still being pressed into his pillow. "I didn't tell you anything about that."

Denny sighed heavily. "It's obvious. Now, are you going to tell me what happened or not?"

Mark moved his face away from the pillow and rolled over so that he was resting on his back. "Well, Chelsea and I were working on the ranch like we normally do, but…Vaughn showed up for some reason. He claimed he wanted to see if we were taking care of the animals properly. That's all. I kind of got a little annoyed at that, but Chelsea told me to be quiet and then told me to go finish planting the turnip seeds. All she wanted was some alone time with Vaughn. She completely forgot about me."

"Wow." Denny frowned, crossing his arms. "I'm really tempted to finding Chelsea and telling her how you feel about her because you just won't do it."

"What? Don't you dare!" Mark hollered in fright.

Denny rolled his eyes. "Relax. I'm not. But really, you have to tell her, Mark. You have to tell her before it's too late."

"But what if I ruined our friendship? What if she rejected me, Denny? She likes Vaughn…not me!" wailed Mark, a frown crawling around his facial features. "She would think that I was crazy for liking her in that way."

"Mark, you really can't worry about things like that." Denny shook his head from side to side. "I mean, I told Lanna how I felt and I even proposed to her. I knew what the possible outcomes would be, but I still did it. And look what happened. We're engaged and we're going to get married in the fall! You just got to take a chance, Mark! It's the only way."

"I wish I had your courage, Denny." Mark draped an arm over his eyes. "I really do."

"Just think about what I said," commented the fisherman, patting Mark's belly before getting up. "Anyway, cheer up! I brought food!"

Mark sighed.


	22. Someone's Not Feeling Well

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXII: Someone's Not Feeling Well

* * *

Foreign ruminations made a devastating stampede throughout his mind, stomping through his brain with tremendous velocity and vigorous relentlessness. All those unfamiliar thoughts were thoroughly vivid and full of colors that he could not identify. He made weak attempts to decipher all of these colors that those thoughts portrayed, but it was entirely futile. Why did he even use weak attempts in the first place? Well, he dreaded dwelling on it _too_ much, so he left it as it was. He allowed those thoughts to continue their endless march through his mind. Some of those contemplations were even photos. No. That wasn't right. The memories, _they_ were the photos. Each one floated in a dark abyss within his mind and he could stop them, select one, and examine one. The oldest memories damaged his mood because they were dark and negative. The newest memories, the ones that were still fresh, mended his ruined mood. He could see various faces within those recent memories, all of them smiling at him. None of them held any malice toward him whatsoever. They were all kind in some way. They were all the people that he had met on Sunshine Islands. None of them were city people like him.

He managed to cease the flashes of faces that ran through his brain, stopping it on one face only. It was that girl's face, the one who always wore that same red bandana, the one that was _always_ trying to be friends with _everyone_ , including him. Chelsea was her name. To him, she was just a plain and average-looking individual, but there was something more to her. She was the reason why Sunshine Islands even existed and why it prospered like it did. She was the one that ran a ranch all by herself, except for the fact that she occasionally would ask for a friend's help around the farm. Still, she was someone that he respected a lot for all her hard work and for how she cared for her animals. Vaughn appreciated that greatly. When she had verbally admitted to respecting him, he had been surprised. He did know that they respected each other, but they had never voiced these thoughts out loud. Vaughn had been thankful. Nobody had ever said that to his face before. It made him feel appreciated. Nobody had ever appreciated him, not even his own parents. However, his Aunt Mirabelle and his cousin, Julia, might appreciate him. He wasn't sure. They had never said it to his face. So, he wasn't quite sure.

Chelsea had been very kind to him today. Why did she give him his favorite food? How did she even know that porridge had been his favorite meal? _No one_ except for Julia and Mirabelle knew what his favorite food was, and they weren't even _sure_ about that. Vaughn had never confirmed it for his two relatives. Even if Chelsea had gone to ask them what his favorite food was, they wouldn't have been sure. He began to think that she just took a guess and went with it, but that wasn't it either. Chelsea seemed so sure of herself when she handed over the scrumptious porridge. It was like, deep down, she knew that it was his favorite meal of all time. What else did she know about him? Did she know his likes, his dislikes, his personality, and all his thoughts? Vaughn hoped she didn't. He _never_ wanted anyone to know him like that, not even Chelsea. Chelsea was annoying to him, but her intentions were pure and positive. Vaughn could not be annoyed with her forever; that was why he asked her if she wanted to go somewhere with him. It didn't mean so much to him, but he honestly had nothing else to do. Chelsea was an alright person to have as company, that was for sure. In addition to that, she seemed to enjoy his company as well.

Shutting his eyes, he resumed watching all of the faces go by within his mind, bright smiles being sent at him. He sifted through them for a long while before settling on another face. It was the face of Sabrina. Sabrina was _very_ different from Chelsea, and that was an honest fact. It was easy to see her personality. When Vaughn first met her, she was the shyest and quietest person he had ever encountered. Then, eventually, she started to warm up to him. In return, he began to warm up to her. Sabrina was wonderful company to have, in his opinion. Sabrina wasn't loud, she was quiet. She wasn't even annoying either and Vaughn genuinely liked being around her. He still had that painting up on his wall back in his apartment in the city. It always reminded him of her and he would always get the sudden urge to see her.

It was odd. The desire to see her had become frequent. Vaughn deliberately did not act on those desires because it made him uncomfortable. He still did not know why he longed to be near her. There was always that longing. It rested in his heart, waiting for the opportunity to claim his mind. Vaughn did not understand it. All these colorful feelings were so foreign to him. Whenever he tried to make sense of it, it was impossible. It was like he was trying to decipher a foreign language that he had no knowledge of whatsoever. Truthfully, Vaughn detested these feelings because he knew that he wasn't supposed to be having such desires. It was preposterous. Truly absurd. The desire to be with someone had never crossed his mind before. Just thinking about the raven haired girl made him feel some type of way. He couldn't describe it. If someone told him to write a paper about his feelings, he wouldn't even know where to start.

"Vaughn!"

A sudden voice pierced his thoughts. Like fragile glass, his ruminations shattered into an uncountable amount of pieces and scattered into the darkest depths of his mind, disappearing from sight completely. Snapping out of it, the silver haired cowboy shook his head slightly, a little bit disoriented from being deep in thought for too long. He had been slowly trudging through Verdure Island, not even paying attention to where he was going. Why had he been thinking so much? And who was the one who called out to him?

"Vaughn!" It was Julia.

The blonde woman came charging at him like a rabid bull. Before the cowboy could dodge her oncoming attack, Julia was already enveloping him in one of her crushing hugs. Luckily, she didn't tackle him that time and he didn't end up on the ground in agony.

"Let go…!" Vaughn growled viciously, struggling out of the female's hold. "What have I told you about doing that?" he questioned her angrily.

Julia only laughed and rolled her eyes. She grabbed his hand and tugged him in the direction of Taro's house. "Come on, cousin. You're going to have dinner with me and Elliot's family! It'll be fun!"

"Wait? What?" Vaughn did not like being snatched up and manhandled…well, _woman_ handled.

"Do I really have to repeat myself?" Julia retaliated, trying to pretend to sound like him. She did a horrible job at it and it just made her sound very silly.

The livestock dealer narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits and didn't say anything more. He allowed his relative to clutch at his hand and pull him toward the abode. As soon as they got in, Felicia was there to greet them with a gorgeous smile. The woman was holding a big pot of onion soup while wearing large mittens.

"Julia! It is so nice to see you, dear," tittered Felicia, her smile becoming bigger with each passing second. Her smile was starting to get so big that Vaughn thought it might rip her face in half. "And Vaughn…what a pleasant surprise. I don't think you've _ever_ paid us a visit."

"No, ma'am," quipped Vaughn icily, making sure to keep his expression neutral and without emotion. "I haven't."

Felicia tilted her head to the side at him, jovialness coloring her features. "What are you doing here?" she vocalized her question, thoughts going straight to her mouth.

"I invited him for dinner," sounded Julia, tightening her grip on her cousin's hand and smiling cheerily. "I hope you and Taro don't mind. I know Elliot wouldn't mind. Natalie wouldn't mind, right? I don't think she and Vaughn are friends."

"We aren't," clamored the cowboy, voice like acid. Irritation was stabbing at his soul and it was beginning to show on his face. He tried to tug his hand out of his cousin's grip, but she definitely wasn't letting go anytime soon.

Felicia raised her eyebrows at the tone of Vaughn's voice, but she quickly dismissed it and kept on smiling like nothing was out of the ordinary. "That's fine. I'm sure my father wouldn't mind. Natalie shouldn't mind either, even if you're not her friend, Vaughn," she communicated easily. "Why don't you two go help Elliot set up the table? Natalie and I are still preparing the food. I don't know where my father is."

"Sure thing!" narrated Julia.

Vaughn gave his own feedback. "Fine." It wasn't like he was going to escape this. He might as well roll with it.

Felicia keened, "Splendid! We are preparing a _lot_ of food, so be prepared to have your bellies full this evening!" Then, she walked down a hall and disappeared to the left, obviously heading into the kitchen.

Yanking his hand out of Julia's hold, Vaughn moved forward and to the dining room. Julia was right behind him, chattering about something he didn't care about. When they finally entered the area, Elliot was in there setting up the table.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Julia announced noisily, rushing over to the pink haired man and throwing her arms around him in a big hug. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and nuzzled his nose. "How's it going?"

"Julia!" Elliot was surprised. He put his arms around his fiancée's waist and enlarged his eyes, seeing Vaughn standing on the other side of the dinner table. "Wait…and _Vaughn_?!"

Julia pulled away from her fiancé and patted him on the shoulder. "Remember I told you I would ask if he wanted to come have dinner with us?"

"Y-Yeah, but…" Elliot glanced at Vaughn and then lowered his voice. "I didn't think he'd actually _agree_ to it!"

"That's because I really didn't have a choice," reported Vaughn loudly, letting Elliot know that he heard him. "I was forced to come here."

Elliot almost jumped out of his skin at the sound of the cowboy's voice, but then he collected himself and gave his partner a stern look. "Julia! You _forced_ him to come?!"

"Yeah. So?"

"So, that's not right!"

"Okay?" Julia crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look. "Are you really going to argue with me about this?"

Elliot released a loud exhale and shook his head, backing down. "No. I'm not."

"Good!" Julia pecked his lips. "I love you."

"Love you too, Jules…"

Ignoring them, Vaughn got to work on setting the table. He really did not get to do something like this often. The only time he had to set the table was when he was staying at Mirabelle's. He, Julia, and Mirabelle sometimes had dinner together whenever he was on Sunshine Islands. With the help of Elliot and Julia, it didn't take too long to finish. Taro had gotten home by the time they were done.

The old man was eyeing Vaughn with mild suspicion before tossing out a greeting his way and sitting down at the table. Vaughn greeted him back in his usual cold voice and took a seat at the table as well. Julia sat down at his right, Elliot on her right.

"Food's ready!" Natalie declared, barging into the room while holding a few plates of food in her hands. She put the plates on the table before looking at Vaughn. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Vaughn decided to ignore her.

Natalie appeared annoyed at his silence and put her hands on her hips. "Julia, what is he doing here?"

"I invited him!" Julia yawped vivaciously, piling up her plate with food. "And he said yes!"

"I said _nothing_ …" mumbled the animal trader, voice full of ire and annoyance. "I was brought here against my will."

Natalie dumped her attention on the blonde. "Oh? You've got a serious problem, Julia…"

Julia glowered at her. "Oh, hush, will you?"

Rolling her eyes, the shipper moved away from the table and walked back into the kitchen to bring more food out. Felicia soon came out too, placing meals onto the table. As soon as all of the food was out, Felicia and Natalie joined everyone else at the table.

"So, do you have a maid of honor for your wedding yet, Julia?" Felicia wanted to know, leisurely consuming her onion soup. "I was hoping Natalie would be your maid of honor."

"Nope! Natalie already told me no." Julia shrugged. "I can't force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"But you can force _me_ to do something I don't want to do?" countered Vaughn, glaring at his cousin furiously. He was currently devouring a plate of stuffed cabbage. A glass of milk was next to his plate too that he had been taking sips from.

Julia ignored him. "So, I chose Chelsea to be my maid of honor. She's my best friend and of course she'd say yes."

"Good," snipped Natalie, munching on a baked yam. "I didn't want to do it anyway. It seems too much to me. I'd rather be a bridesmaid again."

"Oh, Chelsea is such a nice girl." Felicia smiled, pressing her hands to her cheeks. "She can never say no to someone, it seems. She's always doing lovely things for people. Such a lovely girl."

Julia grinned. "Yeah, I know."

"Do you have a best man yet, grandson?" Taro demanded to know, stuffing his face with buckwheat balls.

Elliot shared a glance with Julia and then became uneasy. "W-Well…I was going to have Mark be my best man, but I figured that it wouldn't be right. He already was a best man during Will's wedding."

"Then who's going to be your best man?!" Taro babbled with his mouth full.

"Well, Julia and I were thinking that, well, _Vaughn_ could be my best man…"

" _What_?!" Both Taro and Vaughn bellowed loudly.

Elliot sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Uh…well, it was Julia's idea! She told me that you'd do it!"

"True, true," sang the blonde.

Vaughn turned his heinous gaze on his cousin, unwanted fury surging through his entire being. The cowboy wanted to get up and leave the house at once, but he knew that would be incredibly rude. "I am _not_ going to be Elliot's best man, Julia! I _never_ agreed to that!"

"You don't have a choice!" rebutted Julia, pointing a finger at him. "Besides, you are _not_ going to miss my wedding! You're family, Vaughn. You are like a brother to me. You are going and that is final!"

Vaughn got quiet.

 _Everyone_ got quiet.

"Thank you for the meal." Vaughn removed himself from the table and rapidly strode out of the house, ignoring Julia's protests from behind him.

Mind plagued by hot rage, the cowboy violently shoved his hands into his pockets and made the quick journey from Verdure Island to Sprout Island. He wanted to get as far away from Julia as possible. Vaughn did _not_ want to be Elliot's best man at his cousin's wedding. Why would Julia even suggest something like that to him? Even though he was mad about it, he knew he'd somehow end up doing it anyway. Why? Because, well, Julia was his _cousin_.

Sighing softly, Vaughn tried to release some of his anger and fought to keep a furious expression from covering his face. The man continued walking briskly, but then ceased his movements when he saw Sabrina walking in his direction slowly.

There was something wrong.

Sabrina had her head slightly bowed, eyes unfocused. She seemed a little disoriented and her breathing was loud and ragged. It was like she was having a hard time getting oxygen into her lungs. Perspiration painted her forehead and cheeks and her legs trembled terribly with each step she took. It appeared as though she would fall over at any given moment.

Immediately, Vaughn's rage wilted away like a dying flower and disappeared into nothingness. His anger was replaced with overwhelming concern for the girl. Vaughn didn't even think he could actually feel this much concern for someone. It made him highly uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to push that concern away. He needed it now.

"Sabrina?" he called.

Sabrina did not hear him. She just kept on sluggishly trekking forward, panting heavily, and legs wobbling.

"Sabrina?" Vaughn spoke again, hurrying over to her. He grabbed her shoulders with his gloved hands and studied her features. Her eyes were glazed over and she looked worse from up close. "Sabrina, what's the matter? Talk to me!"

"V-Vaughn…?" Her eyes seemed to gain some focus again and they zeroed in on his face. When she fully recognized him, color flooded her cheeks and she breathed again, "…Vaughn?"

Vaughn gave her a short nod. "What's the matter with you?" he demanded to know, getting straight to the point.

Sabrina looked flabbergasted at first, as if she didn't know what he was talking about. After a few seconds of thinking, Sabrina adopted a look of realization and she wet her lips. "I-I…was walking home. I…I am not feeling very well."

"Obviously," keened the cowboy, sounding miffed. "You are _not_ walking home in your condition. Don't need you passing out. You're lucky I was around."

"I-I'll be f-fine…" whispered Sabrina breathlessly, feebly trying to push him away. "I-I c-can do it…"

Vaughn ignored her and brought her up into his arms, easily lifting her off of the ground. He was really surprised at how light she was. It was like she weighed nothing at all, which was extremely odd. Deciding not to dwell on it any further, the livestock dealer turned around and started walking to Regis' mansion with Sabrina in his arms.

When he reached the mansion, Regis was there to answer the door. There was an enormous misunderstanding about the situation, but it was eventually solved by a few words from Sabrina. Regis was going to take her to her room, but Sabrina clung to Vaughn and whined about how she wanted to give him something that was in her room. Her father instantly insisted that he go get it, but Sabrina wasn't having it. Relenting, the old man huffed loudly and claimed that he was going to prepare some tea for Sabrina. Before he left though, he gave Vaughn a hard look and told him not to try anything. Vaughn scoffed at that and didn't even answer him.

Vaughn brought the girl up to her room and shut the door behind them. He took a few seconds to study how massive Sabrina's room was before wending over to a queen sized bed and gently putting her in it. Once that was done, he examined her features and saw that she was looking a little bit better than before. Her breathing had returned to normal and the perspiration was gone from her face. However, her hair was still a little bit damp and she had her eyes closed, fist to her chest.

"Are…are you in pain?" Vaughn asked her reluctantly.

Sabrina just shook her head.

The cowboy got silent after that, deciding not to speak anymore. He talked too much today anyway. Instead, he took the time to inspect her and wonder about why she had been outside in her condition. Was she insane? Anything could have happened to her while she was like that. She could have passed out somewhere and who knows what would have happened! Knowing that had been a possibility made Vaughn's hands clench into tight fists. That thought really bothered him for some reason. He didn't want anything happening to Sabrina.

But why was that?

Shaking his head, Vaughn unclenched his fists and forced his body to relax. He lifted a hand and brushed some dark strands away from the girl's face. Sabrina stirred a little from the action and her eyes slowly opened, face flushed.

"V-Vaughn…?" she whispered meekly.

"What…?" muttered the silver haired man, frowning.

"C-Could you come c-closer?"

Concluding that was an odd request, Vaughn obeyed her command and leaned down a little. As soon as he did, Sabrina's lips were on his cheek. She pulled away quickly before he could say anything and her face was as red as a tomato.

Vaughn's eyes widened and he grabbed the brim of his hat, tugging it down over his eyes to cover most of his face. He knew he was blushing and he had a good reason for it too.

Sabrina had _kissed_ him!

"Th-Thank you so much for being there for me…" uttered the raven haired female, shakily lifting a hand and pointing to the canvas she had been working on earlier that day. It was completed. "I-I made you a-another painting…"

Wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, the cowboy marched over to the canvas and took it, lifting it up so that he could study it. It was a painting of a river in a forest. Like the other one he had been given, it was magnificently done with high detail. It was beautiful.

"It's…supposed to r-represent the relationship…between us," quietly vocalized Sabrina without looking at him. She now had a pillow over her face.

"What's that supposed to mean?" retaliated Vaughn, narrowing his eyes at her and rolling up the painting so he could safely take it home with him when the time came. He hesitantly approached the bed again.

He didn't get an answer.

"Sabrina?" Vaughn commented in a gruff voice, reaching down and pulling the pillow away from her face. He was surprised to see that she was fast asleep. The guy let out a sigh and put the pillow on her belly.

Then he left, thoughts about Sabrina's actions flooding his mind.


	23. Out With Mark

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXIII: Out With Mark

* * *

Chelsea whistled loudly as she swept her kitchen floor. It was a warm afternoon and she was in a very good mood. All her work on the ranch was done with. She didn't even have to water the crops that morning because it was pouring rain outside. So, she only planted more seeds and took care of all of her animals. She didn't even have to ask Mark for help that time. When she was done sweeping her kitchen floor, she put the broom and dust pan away and walked over to the living room window. The rain smacked against the glass hard, relentlessly. It wasn't going to let up anytime soon. As Chelsea watched the rain, she began to think about what happened yesterday between her and Vaughn. It had been incredibly nice. Well, _Vaughn_ was being nice. It surprised her greatly and it still did when she thought about it. She was glad that the man enjoyed the porridge she gave him.

"Vaughn…" whispered Chelsea, pressing her palm against the glass of the window. She closed her eyes and wished with all her might that Vaughn would one day come to like her as much as she liked him. It was a possibility and she was going to hold onto that possibility for as long as she could.

Chelsea breathed out a sigh and shook her head, removing her hand from the window. "What am I going to do today?" she questioned herself, pressing her palms into her hips. "There's nothing else to do. I already took care of everything."

It was then that she recalled her best friend, Mark. She never really got a chance to apologize to him yesterday about ditching him like that. She had been a little bit rude, but Vaughn was there and she _needed_ to spend time with him because he was only on the islands for two days a week. Plus, it wasn't every day that Vaughn came to Ranch Island asking her if she wanted to go somewhere. That was odd. It never happened before. Chelsea took advantage of the opportunity. She hoped Mark understood that.

Chelsea grabbed her red raincoat and then ventured outside into the pouring rain. There was a slight breeze, but it wasn't too cold outside. It was still warm. Chelsea trudged slowly to her next door neighbor, Mark. She reached his house in no time and knocked on the door with her fist, hoping he would open up.

Mark answered the door after a few minutes. He stood there in his sky blue colored pajamas, blond hair unkempt and eyes a little droopy. There was dried drool on the corner of his mouth and he looked like he just woke up. Chelsea burst out laughing at his appearance and didn't even try to cover it up.

"Ah…?!" Mark realized that it was his best friend and his face turned red. "D-Don't laugh!" The guy used the sleeve of his pajama top to wipe at the dried drool at the corner of his mouth. "It's not funny! I just woke up! I'm sure you probably look worse than I do in the mornings!"

"Mark, it's not even morning! It's in the afternoon," Chelsea commented with a shake of her head, settling down with her laughter. "And you're right. I _do_ look worse in the mornings! Anyway, why did you sleep so late? You should have been up hours ago!"

Mark lowered his hand from his mouth, gloominess clouding his features. "Well…I was talking to Denny about some things. He came over last night and we ate something together. After that we just…talked."

"About?" Chelsea was curious.

"J-Just stuff…" mumbled Mark nervously, looking away from her. "So…why are you here?"

Chelsea put her hands in her pockets, the rain still coming down on her. Her red bandana and her chocolate brown hair was now soaking wet, including her raincoat. "I just want to apologize for yesterday, Mark."

"Apologize…?" Mark put on a befuddled look.

"Yeah." Chelsea stepped a little closer to him. "I realized that I just ditched you yesterday. I mean, Vaughn came over and I was so happy about that. Plus, he asked if I wanted to go somewhere with him. I couldn't just say no to that. But anyway, I'm really sorry about talking to you the way I did and for leaving you here by yourself. Did I hurt your feelings?"

The gloomy expression coloring the male rancher's face became even gloomier, but he performed a small smile and answered, "No…you didn't hurt my feelings." It was a lie, but Chelsea did not notice at all.

"Really? Great!" Chelsea exclaimed, relieved. "Anyway, do you want to hang out or something? We could take a walk in the rain. We haven't done that in a while. Besides, I want to make it up to you for ditching you yesterday. _And_ I can tell you all about what happened when I left with Vaughn!"

Mark's smile faded a little. "Oh. Right. Yeah."

"So, get dressed and let's go!" talked Chelsea, throwing a fist into the air and taking a step back.

Mark didn't say anything and he turned around to go deeper into his house. After he got dressed, he put his blue cap on and stepped out of the house, wearing his blue raincoat. Mark didn't have enough time to brush his teeth, so he was worried that he might have bad breath. He decided not to get too close to her throughout their little outing.

"Let's go to Meadow Island," suggested Chelsea merrily, walking away from the house with her hands still in her pockets. "It must look so cool right now in the rain, don't you think?"

"Yeah…" Mark wondered if Chelsea had ever gone to Meadow Island with Vaughn.

When they reached Meadow Island, the rain was still coming down in harsh torrents. It was all quiet around Meadow Island except for the fact that the rain would not let up. Chelsea had found a long twig on the ground and was waving it around absentmindedly. She looked at Mark and saw that he was just standing there, hands deep in his pockets. There was an expression of glumness resting on his facial features and he seemed to be thinking about something.

Chelsea was aware of this and guilt clawed at her heart. Was he still upset about yesterday? Why did he look so sad? Not wanting her best friend to be feeling blue, Chelsea dropped her stick and sauntered over to him until she was standing next to him. They were almost the same height. Mark was just a few inches taller than her, which wasn't much. From a distance, they looked to be about the same height.

"Mark?" lamented the brunette quietly, wiping some rainwater out of her eyes. "Mark, are you okay? I already said that I was sorry about yesterday. You look so sad."

"H-Huh?" Mark turned slightly to view her. "Um…that's not it at all! I was just…thinking about something else. That's all. Nothing important."

Chelsea watched him, studying his facial features. The guy was trying hard to get rid of the downcast look on his face, but it was still there. He threw on a small smile and tried to give Chelsea the peace sign, but Chelsea wasn't buying it this time. This time the rancher was fully aware of how Mark was feeling. Usually, she couldn't tell how he was feeling exactly, but now she kind of did. Mark did not look happy and she was going to find out why.

"I don't believe you." Chelsea shook her head, hardening her own features and staring directly at him. "It must be something important to make you look so sad, Mark. Come on, I'm your _best friend_! Tell me what's bothering you. What are you thinking about?"

Mark hesitated, moving his gaze away from her. He lowered his head and fiddled around with his fingers nervously, a light shade of pink touching his cheeks. Chelsea continued to stare at him, wondering what was going on in his mind. The blond refused to look at her and he seemed so nervous all of a sudden. And why was he blushing like that?

"You know you can tell me anything, Mark…" Chelsea conveyed to him, touching his arm gently. "I'm here for you."

Mark's emerald green eyes finally moved to look at her again and the pinkish hue staining his cheeks grew darker. The nervousness that he had been portraying was now intensifying and he dropped his hands to his sides. He opened his mouth and then closed it again, uncertain of which words to use.

 _What is up with him?_ Chelsea ruminated, concern taking over her mind. _Why is he looking at me like that? What is it? How come he won't tell me?_

"Mark?" vocalized Chelsea, a frown creasing her forehead. "What's wrong? Talk to me…"

Without any warning whatsoever, the blond moved forward and wrapped her up in a tight hug. Chelsea was really astonished at first, but then she easily relaxed and returned his hug, gently patting his back. "Mark, what's going on?" she questioned, wanting to know why he was acting so weird.

"Tell me about your outing with Vaughn," he tittered over her shoulder, still hugging her tightly. Strangely, his voice sounded neutral and Chelsea couldn't fathom what kind of emotion he was experiencing at the moment. "I want to know how well it went. Do you think you still have a chance with him? I think you do since, well, he asked you to go somewhere with him." Then, Mark gave a laugh. It sounded forced to Chelsea.

"Um…okay then." Chelsea rubbed his back with her hand, trying to comfort him. She knew something was bothering him and he probably changed the topic because he didn't want to talk about it with her. That hurt Chelsea a little bit. Mark _always_ told her _everything_. The same went with her too. She told him _everything_. They trusted each other. What could he be keeping from her? What was so different now? Did he not trust her anymore?

Mark tightened his embrace around her, and it was almost as if he feared letting her go. It was odd, but that was the feeling she was getting from him at the moment. His body trembled a little, but Chelsea assumed that it was only because he was wet from the oncoming rain and the mild breeze. So, she just continued to rub his back with her hand to soothe him, desperately wanting to know what was going on with him.

"Well." Chelsea cleared her throat, blinking rainwater out of her eyes. "Vaughn and I went to the beach. It was really nice, you know? The weather was just right. I took my boots off to feel the sand on my feet, but Vaughn wouldn't do it. Actually, he looked at me as if I were crazy when I made the suggestion." Chelsea started smiling fondly at the memory.

Mark hummed in response to that.

"Anyway, he didn't take them off, even though I really wanted him to," narrated the girl, ceasing her hand from rubbing her best friend's back. She just let it rest there, making sure to let Mark know that she wasn't going anywhere. "We continued walking along the beach. Shockingly, Vaughn told me that he respected me for the work I do on my ranch."

"H-He did…?" uttered Mark softly.

"Yeah, can you believe it?! I was so shocked, but it made me so happy, Mark!" Chelsea was blushing from watching the scene all over again in her mind. "I told him that I respected him in return and he actually _thanked_ me for that! I made him a bowl of porridge before we left and I gave that to him too. Porridge _is_ his favorite food and he was so surprised when I gave it to him. I think he was happy. He thanked me for that too. It was awesome."

Mark said nothing.

"So, you asked me if I thought I still had a chance with him…" Chelsea repeated what Mark said a little bit ago. "I think I do have a chance with him, Mark. I really do. I'm still clinging on to that last shred of hope that I have left. I'm not going to give up. I know he might still be showing some interest in Sabrina, but I think he's kind of showing me some interest too. I mean, I've never gotten so much attention from him before. I don't want Sabrina to end up being hurt because I know that she likes him, but…it's not our decision to make who he ends up with. All I can do is spend more time with him and hope that he comes to like me as much as I like him."

Mark was silent.

"I really think I have a chance," Chelsea went on, taking a hold of that hope that she spoke of. "Vaughn is a wonderful person underneath all of that coldness, I know it."

Mark was _still_ silent.

"Mark?" Chelsea chattered in question. "Mark, are you alright?"

Mark suddenly let go of her and pulled away a little. It was then that she noticed he was giving her a big smile, the one where his eyes closed. That was one of her favorite smiles from her best friend. Chelsea couldn't tell what he was feeling right now, but she assumed that he was happy for her. So, she returned his smile, making sure that it was just as big.

"That's so great, Chelsea!" Mark gave her some feedback. "I-I'm so happy for you. I really am."

Chelsea could sense the sincerity in his voice, but there was something a little sad about it. She didn't dwell on it too much and laughed a little bit. "Thanks, Mark! It really means a lot!" she told him truthfully.

When Mark's smile simmered down and his eyes opened, Chelsea noticed that they were a little bloodshot as if he had been crying. Before Chelsea could ask him about that, Mark turned away from her and started walking. "Come on, Chels! Let's get out of this rain before we catch a cold!" He sounded cheerful.

"O-Oh…!" Chelsea went to go after him, but suddenly slipped in a big pile of mud and fell face first into it.

"Chelsea!" Mark exclaimed, rushing back over to her. "Are you okay?"

Chelsea groaned and lifted her face out of the mud, using her hands to wipe the sludge away from her eyes. "Gosh! I am such a klutz!"

Mark stared at her, face blank. Then, a smile formed on his face and he started guffawing at her. "L-Look at your face! It's all covered in mud!" he managed to say through his laughter.

"Oh, be quiet!" Chelsea huffed, fighting to keep the smile from appearing on her features.

Mark only laughed harder.

Thinking of something to shut him up, the brunette reached up and grabbed the collar of his raincoat and tugged him down into the mud with her. Instantly, Mark's laughter came to an abrupt halt and he stared at her in disbelief, specks of mud decorating his face and getting all over his clothes and boots.

"There!" giggled Chelsea, scooping up some mud into her hands and smearing it across Mark's face. "Now we can be muddy together!"

Mark's mouth dropped open in shock.

Chelsea clamped a hand over her own mouth, trying to cover up the unrestrained burst of laughter that wanted to escape. After a moment of silence, Mark grinned from ear to ear and grabbed a handful of mud, dumping it on top of her head.

"You really want to have a mud war, Chelsea?" Mark challenged in amusement. "Really?"

"Sure!" Chelsea accepted the challenge. "Prepare yourself, Mark, because you're going down!"

After that, the duo continued to play around in the mud, laughing together as if there was no tomorrow.


	24. The Colors of a Relationship

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXIV: The Colors of a Relationship

* * *

Sabrina stood in front of her oval-shaped mirror in her enormous room, running a brush through her soft, dark locks. She had her glasses on and was dressed in her usual attire. As she continued to brush her hair, her cheeks began to turn red from a massive blush. It was all because of her thoughts. It was now Tuesday and yesterday was the day that Vaughn had brought her home. That day Sabrina hadn't been feeling well at all. She had gone out to the general store to grab some groceries for her father, but suddenly started feeling unwell. She thought she would be able to make it home by herself in her condition, but apparently she wasn't. Thankfully, Vaughn was there and he got her home safely.

She had _kissed_ him.

Lowering her brush from her black hair, Sabrina could feel the heat in her face increasing and she bit down on her bottom lip. What had gotten into her? What made her do such a thing? Sabrina wasn't sure what Vaughn thought of her now. Maybe he never wanted to speak with her ever again? Knowing that was one of the numerous possibilities, Sabrina felt fright assault her heart mercilessly and she felt tears sting her eyes. Sabrina wished that she had never kissed him like that. It was just a simple kiss on the cheek, but it meant so much. In addition to that, she had kissed him when she _wasn't feeling well_! Vaughn probably thought that she was disgusting!

Downcast and full of sorrow, the girl sluggishly trekked over to a vanity in her room and placed her brush upon it. She found a violet colored bow there and put that in her hair behind her head. Through with that, she exited her room and shut the door behind her. Sabrina walked to her father's study to see if he was in there, but he was nowhere to be found.

Sabrina ventured downstairs to the dining room, checking to see if her parent was there. He wasn't in there either. Shaking her head, she concluded that he might have left the mansion for a while. She didn't know why, but she wasn't going to question it any further. Sabrina was about to prepare herself some lunch, but then stopped when the doorbell rang at the front doors of the mansion.

"Must be father…" she solemnly tittered, hurrying out of the dining room and going to the front doors. She smoothed down her outfit and made sure she was presentable before grasping the doorknob, and pulling the door open. Sabrina opened her mouth to greet her father, but the person standing there wasn't her father at all.

It was _Vaughn_.

"U-Um…!" Sabrina knew her face was bright red because she felt how hot it was. She was _not_ expecting to see the cowboy at her home again so soon. Sabrina began to wonder what he wanted. Did he come to yell at her about her foolish actions yesterday?

Vaughn tipped his hat to her, one hand in his pocket. That cold expression was still on his face, but that was nothing new. The cowboy still looked as handsome as ever to her and Sabrina just wanted to embrace him and confess all of her feelings to him. She knew that was truly absurd and that she couldn't do such a thing, so she forced those idiotic contemplations away and tried to remain calm. What in the world did Vaughn want from her?

"Wh-What a-are you d-doing here?" stammered Sabrina, horribly stumbling over her words. It was then that she realized she sounded like a little rabbit that had finally been caught by a fox.

"Are you feeling better?" queried the silver haired man, watching her closely.

Sabrina's heart almost stopped at the question. Was _that_ the reason why he was there? Reaching up to grasp the pendant around her neck, the dark haired female struggled to breathe properly. Vaughn actually _cared_ about her? He came to visit her to make sure she was doing okay! Sabrina felt her heart do a silly dance in her chest and her belly was brutally attacked by butterflies. Knowing that Vaughn cared about how she was feeling made her incredibly happy. However, she did not show her joy on her face and tried to stay neutral. The blush on her cheeks did not go away though.

"Y-Yes!" sounded Sabrina in a yelp. "I'm feeling much better! Th-Thank you so much, Vaughn." She bowed to him in gratitude and graciousness. When she straightened up her body, she was disappointed to see an annoyed expression flash across his facial features. Did he think that she was annoying now? Sabrina hoped she did nothing wrong. All she did was thank him for his kindness the other day and for asking about her wellbeing.

"Fine," quipped the cowboy, looking away from her and shutting his eyes. "I'm done with work for today." It really sounded as if Vaughn did not enjoy speaking. The guy's tone indicated that he was weary too. "Do you…want to join me for lunch?"

If Vaughn had asked that to any other person, they probably would have declined his offer. Why? Well, because he really did not sound friendly. His voice was gruff and his words were a bit gritty, almost coming out like a growl. Sabrina, however, honestly did not mind the way he sounded. All she cared about was the fact that he was asking her to join him for lunch!

"Of course!" Sabrina communicated, pure jovialness soaking her tone. The hand around her pendant tightened and she was unable to stop the smile from stretching her lips. "I-I'd love to!" Sabrina wanted to dance with joy. Vaughn wasn't angry with her at all for kissing him on the cheek yesterday! He wanted to spend some time with her!

Vaughn grasped the brim of his hat and pulled it down over his eyes, obviously trying to hide the pinkish hue that decided to occupy his cheeks. "Fine," he muttered, completely turning away from her and giving her his back. "Let's go."

Not wanting to waste any time, Sabrina moved quickly and stumbled out of her abode, shutting the door behind her and locking it up tight. Through with that, the girl rushed over to Vaughn's side and walked alongside him. She almost tripped over her feet several times and Vaughn had to help her. Sabrina was so embarrassed and she ended up repeating her clumsy actions a few more times. Eventually, the cowboy just grabbed her hand and held it tight in his own, making sure to not let her fall over again. Sabrina thought it felt nice to hold Vaughn's hand and she blushed from it. This wasn't the first time that they joined hands.

Vaughn took her to Haila's Café since they were already on Sprout Island. He seriously did not feel like venturing to Verdure Island just to go to Nick's Diner. As soon as they got in, they found a table and Vaughn pulled out a chair for her, letting go of her hand. Sabrina thanked him and sat down in the chair, allowing him to push her closer to the table.

"What do you want?" the frosty individual questioned her, standing beside her and peering down at her. "I'm going to order our meals."

Sabrina neatly folded her hands on her lap and placed her eyes on the table in front of her. "I'd like, um…some relax tea and a sandwich."

"What do you want on your sandwich?" Vaughn demanded to know icily and a little bit impatiently.

"U-Um…" Sabrina started to think that she was getting on his nerves. The man was even more cold than usual and that concerned her greatly. Did she have something to do with his mood change? "Cucumbers, tomatoes, and boiled egg. Th-That's it. TH-Thank you."

Without another word, the cowboy turned away from her and walked over to the front counter to order their food from Haila. It didn't take long and their meals were quickly prepared. Vaughn came back in no time and sat down at the table across from her. He placed her food and beverage in front of her and put his own in front of himself. Sabrina noticed that Vaughn had gotten himself some hot milk and a croquette with a dinner roll.

The man still did not speak as he got to work on his food. Feeling a little sad and uncomfortable, Sabrina started consuming her food too. She delicately picked up her sandwich and took a small bite, chewing slowly. It was delicious and she closed her eyes, savoring the taste. She took another bite, and another, and another. Before she knew it, there was only a small piece left. Sabrina took a sip of her relax tea and sighed.

Vaughn was almost finished with his own feast, shoveling food into his mouth at a fast pace. It appeared as though he hadn't eaten in quite some time. Sabrina guessed that he probably didn't have breakfast, he might not have had dinner last night either.

"Vaughn?" Sabrina talked, making an attempt to grab his attention. She really did not want to disturb him, but she needed to know if she was irritating him or something. If she was causing a problem, she wanted to be able to fix it. She did not want the one she cared so deeply for to be angry with her. "A-Am I…irritating you? I-I'm very sorry if I am…"

Vaughn chewed up the rest of his food in his mouth before swallowing it. He put his fork down and peered at her, his acidic gaze piercing her and making her freeze. The guy stared her for a long moment before sighing and letting his shoulders sag. The deep coldness that had been present on his face went away a little, but it was still there. He shook his head at her.

"No. I just…have a lot of things on my mind right now," responded the cowboy seriously, looking away from her and using a napkin to wipe his mouth.

Sabrina began to wring her hands underneath the table on her lap, still thinking it was her fault somehow. "I-Is it b-because I…I _kissed_ you yesterday?"

With a tremendous amount of hesitation, Vaughn opened his mouth and muttered, "No." His cheeks colored and he pulled his hat down like he always did. "W-Well…I _did_ think about that, but that's now what's been occupying my mind lately."

"A-Are you sure?" Sabrina stuttered weakly, lifting her eyes to lock gazes with him. "D-Did it b-bother you?"

Vaughn slowly shook his head, resting his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together in front of his face. The redness that had been taking over his cheeks was becoming a deeper shade. "It didn't…bother me. But that's just it," he said quietly and without any emotion. "The fact that it _didn't_ bother me…bothers me."

"I am _so_ sorry, Vaughn!" Sabrina bowed her head and felt like her whole world was falling apart. She _was_ the cause of his vexation. If only she hadn't kissed him like that. It would have been normal between them right now. It wouldn't be so awkward and Vaughn wouldn't have been agitated with her. The relationship between them would come to a stop and it would be all her fault. Vaughn would hate her forever.

The cowboy scowled at her, eyes narrowing. "Stop apologizing already!" he barked harshly. "You did _nothing_ wrong!"

Sabrina flinched at how violent his tone was and reluctantly gazed at him, body trembling. The girl was about to apologize again, but she shut her mouth and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Stop doing that," remarked the livestock dealer, leaning back in his chair and keeping her within his sight. "You don't have to apologize for _everything_ you do, Sabrina. You rarely do anything wrong, especially to me. You…you don't even _know_ what I'm thinking or feeling, so don't just jump to conclusions."

"Okay…" whispered Sabrina, wringing her hands again. Her heart was beating rapidly within her chest and she still felt like her whole world was falling apart. Vaughn sounded so angry with her.

Vaughn sighed at her soft and sad response and reached over to her, placing his hand atop the table, palm facing up. "Sabrina…?" he spoke, voice quiet and tone still a bit cold.

Sabrina stared at his hand for a few minutes until she brought her own hand up and placed it in his own. She felt her heart flutter as his hand closed around hers in a tight grip. When she rolled her eyes back up to his face, she could see that his cheeks were dusted red. Sabrina mimicked him, her own cheeks turning rosy red.

"I am _not_ angry with you," mumbled the cowboy uncomfortably. It was obvious that he still was not used to physical contact. "I _liked_ the kiss that you gave me yesterday. No one has ever done that before and…that's what's bothering me the most. I don't even understand my own feelings right now."

"Is it…complicated?" asked Sabrina, raising her eyebrows at him. Was it possible that Vaughn liked her?

"Yeah," replied Vaughn shortly. He let go of her hand and withdrew it, sighing heavily. " _Very_ complicated."

Sabrina didn't say anything after that, but she pulled her hand back and placed it on her lap, feeling crestfallen that he didn't want to hold hands with her anymore. Suddenly, she wasn't understanding Vaughn. She didn't know how he was feeling. How could she? He didn't even understand what he was feeling himself. Still, she hoped that he would figure out it one day.

"I have to go." Vaughn abruptly stood up from his seat. He shoved his hands into his pockets and then quickly started walking away from the table, leaving her there alone.

Sabrina didn't watch him go. She kept her hands in her lap and lowered her head, shutting her eyes. The relationship between them was complicated. It wasn't clear. It was tainted with foreign colors. There were so many colors there that the poor girl couldn't even name one.

They were all so different. The colors frolicked about, mixed, and blurred. Sabrina didn't even know what to think of these colors, but she hoped that the relationship between her and the cowboy would become clear soon.


	25. Spring Crop Festival

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXV: Spring Crop Festival

* * *

"I was _so_ close to telling her, Denny. I really was."

"Then why didn't you?!"

"I…I don't know!"

Releasing a loud and dramatic sigh, the curly haired fisherman crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe of his best buddy's house. Popper was on top of his head, taking a nap. The bird had been asleep for _hours_. Mark was in the process of sweeping the wooden floorboards of his tiny abode. Denny always made a comment about how small his friend's house was, but Mark would retaliate and tell him that he just lived in a tiny shack, which was true.

Mark had just finished telling Denny the story of what happened between him and Chelsea the other day. At first, Mark was happy about telling the tale, but then he became grim. Denny had rolled his eyes when Mark mentioned that Chelsea was telling him all about her outing with Vaughn the other day.

"You can't let fear control you, Mark," Denny voiced, shaking his head at him. "Ya just can't. That was the perfect opportunity for you to confess! You should have done it!"

"But I didn't…" Mark dropped the broom to the ground and shook his head. "I just didn't. I'm such a wimp. I was too scared. What if she never wanted to speak to me again after I told her? What if I ruined our friendship by conveying to her how I felt? She really believes that she has a chance with Vaughn and I think she's even _in love_ with him, Denny!"

The fisherman stepped into the house, closing the door behind him. Since Chelsea also lived on Ranch Island with Mark, he was a little concerned that she might be eavesdropping on their conversation. It was better to have the door closed. "M, remember what I told you about the other night?"

"Huh?" The blond raised an eyebrow, sitting down on a chair next to his bed.

"You can't worry about that stuff!" Denny threw up his hands. "Didn't I tell you to think about what I said? You can't just let those possible outcomes alter your way of making decisions, Mark! You have to take a risk. You're never going to know what's going to happen if you don't try. If you don't, you might end up regretting it for the rest of your life!"

Trembling, the rancher lowered his gaze to the floor and contemplated about his companion's words. His words had a lot of truth in it, but the way Denny said it made it seem like it was something incredibly crucial. He would end up regretting it for the rest of his life? Mark breathed out a heavy sigh and chewed on his lower lip. Could there be a possibility that Chelsea would feel the same way about him? That seemed so unlikely, but Mark wanted to hope so, even though she was crazy about a certain cowboy.

On that day, when he and Chelsea had been out in the rain, Mark was so relieved that Chelsea had come to apologize to him at his house. He was even more thrilled when she wanted to spend some time with him. Mark thought that she had just forgotten about him completely and didn't feel bad at all, but that wasn't true. They were best friends. He should have known that Chelsea would come to apologize. Unfortunately, his thrill and relief evaporated as soon as she talked about how she was going to explain to him what happened between her and Vaughn.

Mark had been so shocked when Chelsea noticed that there was something terribly wrong with him while they were on Meadow Island in the pouring rain. She had kept asking him what was wrong and she had been so nice to him, so _concerned_. Mark had almost told her how he felt about her. He had been _so_ close. However, when the fear of the negative outcomes flooded his heart, he gave up and just pulled her into a hug. He knew he confused her and was just making everything worse, but he didn't know what else to do. Chelsea had returned his embrace and that made him feel just a tad bit better. His mood had become fully damaged when Chelsea started telling him about her outing with Vaughn.

Chelsea had sounded extremely jubilant about what happened between them. The way she told the story made it seem like a miracle had taken place. That was how he knew that Chelsea was completely devoted to Vaughn and no one else. How could he tell her how he felt when she was so in love with another person? All of those negative thoughts squeezed his heart painfully and Mark had lost his composure. He had been very grateful that it was raining because Chelsea would have seen his tears.

"I think…I should just give up, Denny," Mark dully clamored, tone lathered with sullenness. "I mean, what's the point? I don't think I'm ever going to stop feeling this way about her, but I don't think she's ever going to stop feeling that way about Vaughn either. It probably won't even work out between us. She…doesn't even like me in that way. Besides, I think there is a very strong possibility that she and Vaughn will end up getting married in the future."

Denny pursed his lips at him and looked a little annoyed. "Really, Mark? You're going to give up just like that?"

"Just like that," grumbled the blond.

"I never thought of you as a quitter," keened the fisherman, reaching up to stroke some of Popper's feathers. He still appeared to be annoyed. "What about Sabrina? I honestly still think that Vaughn is interested in her in some way."

Mark shrugged. "You think, you don't _know_."

"Well, I don't know what else to tell you," proclaimed Denny, shrugging his shoulders and getting rid of the annoyed look that was crawling around his facial features. "In the end, it's all up to you. I can't make your decisions for you. Just know that I'm still going to be encouraging you to express how you feel to Chelsea…and that I'm going to be here for you whatever the outcome may be."

"Thanks, Den." Mark gave Denny a smile, thoroughly grateful for his friend's support and loyalty. "Anyway, the Spring Crop Festival is today! Oh man, I wonder if Chelsea's already at Meadow Island! She didn't even stop by to tell me anything and…it's already past nine!"

Denny grinned. "Cucumber, right?"

"I think so…if I remember correctly." Mark tumbled out of his chair and crashed the ground. Denny instantly started laughing at him and Mark waved a hand at him as he got up from the floor. "Yeah. Laugh it up."

"What? You're such a klutz sometimes, Mark! I can't help but laugh. You're hilarious!" Denny wiped some tears from his eyes.

Mark rolled his eyes, used to Denny always laughing at him by now. "Come on, let's get to Meadow Island and see what the competition looks like. Besides, we have to be there for Chelsea!"

Denny agreed and the two men exited Mark's little hut of a home. Mark made sure to lock the door behind them and they ventured to Meadow Island. It didn't take long at all. Once there, they realized almost all of Sunshine Islands' residents were present. Lots of chatter was going around and there was even laughter. Felicia, who was the judge of the contest, was sitting at a table and filling out paperwork for those who were entering the contest.

"Denny!"

Before Denny could react to the voice, someone jumped onto his back and had their arms around his neck as if they were going to choke him out. Denny guffawed and hooked his arms underneath the legs of the person. It was none other than Lanna and she was giving him several kisses on his cheek. "Hey, Lanna! I didn't know you were coming to the Spring Crop Festival! If I did, we would have walked here together! What gives?"

"It never crossed my mind!" gossiped the former singer, keeping her arms around his neck as she got a piggyback ride from him. It didn't look like she was planning on getting down anytime soon. When she saw that Mark was with them, her whole face lit up and she grinned from ear to ear. "Mark, hey!"

"Hi, Lanna," Mark said. "What's up?"

The golden haired girl shrugged, using one hand to mess around with Denny's curly hair. "Nothing. Just decided to go to the festival and watch Chelsea win. I already know she's going to win. She won in the last seasons."

"That's true…" trailed off Mark, becoming jealous of how Denny and Lanna were together and happy. They were even getting married in the fall.

"Yup! There's no doubt about it!" chirped Denny, smirking. "Chelsea's definitely going to win. The other competitors don't stand a chance against her! Oh, and there she is now!"

Mark scanned the fray of colorful individuals until his eyes found the familiar brunette. Chelsea was standing off to the side while holding a big cucumber in her hands. There was an expression of excitement plastered upon her features and her eyes were bright with jolliness. Mark departed from Denny and Lanna and made his way over to the female. When he got there, Chelsea was beaming at him.

"Mark! Didn't know if you were coming or not," claimed Chelsea, waving the cucumber around. "See this? This is what's going to get me first place."

"I know you'll do great in the contest," Mark talked, nodding his head. "And of course I was coming to the festival. I always come to see you compete. Besides, the winner is always you. I like to see you win."

Chelsea laughed lightly. "Thanks, Mark. You're the best." She then stepped closer to him and gave him a short hug, which he eagerly returned. When they parted, Mark looked over his shoulder at Denny and Lanna and could see Denny smirking and winking at him. Mark's face flushed.

"Good luck, Chels," remarked Mark, rubbing the back of his neck. "We'll be cheering you on."

"Oh? Is Denny here?" Chelsea wondered, raising her eyebrows up high.

Mark bobbed his head in a nod. "Yep. Lanna is here too. Don't know about everyone else."

"Great!" Chelsea sent him a peace sign. "I've got more people cheering me on! Cool! Anyway, I think it's about to start. I'll see you at the end of the festival, okay?"

Mark nodded again and moved away from her, making his way back over to Denny and Lanna.

By the end of the festival, Chelsea had won the entire thing with her magnificent cucumber. All of the other participants were not upset about their loss and congratulated Chelsea on her win. Chelsea informed them that they might beat her next time, which Mark thought was a nice thing to say. Denny claimed that he and Lanna were going to have dinner together and so they left quickly. Mark knew that Denny had done that on purpose. He just wanted to leave him alone with Chelsea in hopes of him confessing to her.

 _Well, sorry to disappoint._ Mark contemplated gloomily, crossing his arms over his chest. _That's not going to happen. Not now, not ever. At least…I don't think it will._

"What's on your mind?" Chelsea wanted to know as the two of them walked back to Ranch Island together.

"You…" Mark answered without thinking. Quickly realizing what he said, the blond stopped walking and shook his head vigorously. "I-I mean…I was thinking…about…you winning. Yeah! That's it! Ha!" Mark laughed stupidly, feeling extremely foolish for sounding like a clown.

Chelsea only seemed flummoxed. "Okay?"

Mark resumed moving his legs again, making sure to stay a few paces behind the female. He felt even more foolish when Chelsea didn't talk to him again. Instead, she started humming a little tune, as happy as can be. Mark sighed and wanted to slap himself for being so stupid.


	26. A Glimpse Into Their Honeymoon

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXVI: A Glimpse Into Their Honeymoon

* * *

The noise of the ocean's waves splashing against the cliff's rocky side, was like natural music. The breeze was subtle, but it was there. There was nothing artificial about the nature around them. It was pure and it was _real_. The moon in the sky casted light down on them like a beautiful blanket. No other individuals were around and it was just the two of them together. Nobody was there to disturb them and other sounds were not present.

Hands behind his head and eyes on the sky, a sigh slithered up his throat and spilled out of his mouth and into the air without his consent. He was so comfortable that he felt like he was going to fall asleep. Will's eyes began to droop as he watched the full moon in the sky.

"Will?"

Alertness attacked his soul and he stopped his eyes from drooping. Will turned his head to the side a little to see his wife in the sand next to him. She was watching him closely, wondering if he was falling asleep on her. "What is it, love?" Will questioned, sleepiness evident in his voice.

No more words came from Lily's mouth and she moved closer to him, sitting up until she was literally on top of him and straddling his waist. Will kept his hands behind his head and stared up at her, a grin spreading across his face as he stared up at his beautiful spouse.

"Are you going to let sleep claim you and drag you away to dreamland already?" questioned Lily in her sonorous voice, staring down at him intently. The expression dancing across her face was untellable, but her lips twitched as if they wanted to curl up into a smile. "It's not even nine yet."

Will sighed and closed his eyes. His eyes snapped right back open when Lily decided to pinch his cheek. "Ouch," murmured the wealthy man, narrowing his bright blue eyes at the woman on top of him. "That hurt, _sweetheart_."

Lily grimaced. "Do not call me that. Do you not recall? It displeases me whenever you call me such a name. I prefer 'love' over 'sweetheart'."

"But." Will removed his hands from behind his head and grabbed her hips. "You _are_ sweet. The sweetest woman I have ever laid eyes on." He brought one hand up to the woman's cheek and gently used his fingers to caress the skin. "You are so beautiful, especially underneath this moonlight. You are like a goddess, you're an-"

"William," Lily acknowledged, cutting him off. Her cheeks were a light shade of pink by now. "You compliment me too much. You really do not have to do that."

Will raised an eyebrow, quietly chuckling at seeing her blush like that. It was rare when Lily blushed and he was beginning to realize that _he_ was the only one that could make her do that. The blond individual continued to stroke her cheek with his finger, highly amused by her behavior and response to his compliments. "I _have_ to, love," he vocalized quietly, staring deep into her eyes. "Whenever I look upon your beauty, I am unable to control myself. The words just flow from my mouth without my consent…you are such a ravishing maiden."

"There you go again, Will." Lily pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him. "Always with those compliments."

"Do you not enjoy them?" Will retaliated, lowering his hand from her cheek and putting it back on her hip. He had a feeling that she _did_ enjoy his compliments, but was too embarrassed to admit it.

Lily sighed. "I never said that."

"Then why complain about them?" rebutted Will, grin forming on his lips. "If you enjoy them, you should not have anything negative to say about them. Besides, even if you _didn't_ find pleasure in hearing them, I would still give you compliments. Nothing you say will make me do otherwise."

"Fine," huffed the dark haired beauty.

Will suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them over so that he was on top of her instead. Sand went flying from the action and a loud gasp escaped Lily's mouth. She had been caught off guard completely. When it was over, she found herself staring up into Will's laughing face.

"You should have told me what you were going to do before you did it!" caterwauled Lily, a frown crawling around her features. An irritated expression painted her facial features and she looked about ready to get up and walk away. It was clear that she was beyond annoyed with what he did. "Now, get off of me. Maybe we should get back to our room. I need to take a shower."

Will was unfazed by her ire toward him. He laughed for a few more minutes before finally calming down. The male leaned down and captured her lips with his. Lily brought her arms around his neck and began to kiss him back. Will closed his eyes and let his right hand softly caress her thigh. They stayed that way for a little while longer before they broke for air.

"I love you, Will," Lily proclaimed softly, her arms still wrapped tightly around his neck. "I am really glad that I married you. If…if it wasn't for Chelsea talking you into looking for me then…I don't know if we'd be here right now."

Will brushed his lips across her chin. "You and I share the same thoughts," he whispered to her, now staring directly into her eyes. "We have Chelsea to thank for that. I know we already gave her our thanks, but I believe we should thank her a few more times when we return to Sunshine Islands."

"I know." Lily averted her gaze, suddenly appearing troubled. This did not go unnoticed by Will and he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I…I want to apologize for my foolishness from before, Will," communicated Lily in a forlorn tone of voice. Her arms loosened from around her husband's neck and she sighed, recalling negative past events. "I should have never believed that you would actually cheat on me. I was so blind due to my heinous fury. I should have trusted you. I should have just _listened_."

Will shook his head at her. "Lily, that was in the past. We should focus on the present and the future. That doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is that we are together, we're married, and we shall be together for as long as we live." He gave her a kind smile.

Lily returned his charming smile and allowed her eyes to slip shut as his mouth covered hers once more. This time their kiss had more want and need in it. It lasted a lot longer than the first one and, when they were done, Will got off of her and helped her to her feet. He dusted off her clothes for her and then took her hand in his. The both of them walked back to the inn where their room resided.

As they strolled on along the beach, Will interlocked their fingers together and kissed the top of her head. Lily leaned into him and tried to hide her content smile.

It was a week ago when the married couple first arrived in Moonshine Islands. Moonshine Islands was made up of four small islands. Each island had an exotic and beatific beach. Everything on Moonshine Islands was much prettier and livelier during the night. There was always a celebration happening on each island. There was lots of dancing, plenty to do, rides and other attractions, spas, springs, and various other things. Will and Lily had been there for a week so far and they still haven't gotten to do everything. The most they bad been doing was visiting spas, lounging on the beach, and surfing. Well, _Will_ had done the surfing while Lily just watched while enjoying a healthy smoothie.

The third day of their honeymoon had been spent in their inn room by the beach, waiting out a horrible typhoon. On the fourth day of their stay, Will and Lily had gone to a spa and had a relaxing day there. They had been unable to do anything else on the fourth day because of the terrible typhoon on the third day. That typhoon had ruined a few things on the islands, but it was quickly repaired on the fifth day.

The island that they were currently staying on was called Moonset Island. During their arrival, Will and Lily had a highly difficult time deciding which island they were going to stay on. Moonrise Island was the island that had all of the attractions and rides, and it was mostly the loudest island in the cluster of Moonshine Islands. Moonbeam Island was the island that had all of the dancing, partying, and parading going on. Moonlight Island contained all of the hot springs and forests. Moon Island had all of the circuses and magic acts. Lastly, Moonset Island was the island that had all of the spas and it was the quietest of all four islands. That was why Will and Lily chose Moonset Island to stay on.

As soon as they got back to their room, Will closed the door behind them and locked it tight. Regis' nephew ventured over to their bed and sat down on it, watching his wife's every move. Lily was at the closet now in their luxurious room, opening the doors and revealing all of the clothes that she had brought.

"Are we going to be doing anything else tonight?" Lily questioned, looking through the many outfits that she possessed. "I need to know in order for me to decide what to wear tonight."

Will brought a hand up to his chin. "Well," he tittered in a thoughtful manner. "It's getting kind of late. Do you want to go to another spa or do you want to visit the other islands? Maybe…" Will removed himself from the bed and sauntered over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder. "…would you like to stay here for the rest of the night?"

Lily froze for a moment before going back to looking through her outfits, now searching for something to wear to bed. Usually, she did not care what she wore to bed, but now she had a husband. She wanted to look nice even when she was going to be sleeping.

"I would rather stay here tonight," she commented quietly. "My feet are in pain right now."

Will gently rubbed her tummy. "Yeah? I think I am going to have to change that then."

Lily whirled around in his arms so that she was facing him, her hands on his chest. She grinned up at him and cocked her head to the side like a cat would do. "Are you going to be giving my feet a massage?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course," responded Will immediately, sounding immensely serious. "I simply cannot have my fair maiden in pain. It aches my heart to think you are in pain, my wife."

"Alright. Once I have completed my shower, you shall give my feet a massage," retaliated the female, tugging out of his grasp and quickly snagging an outfit from the closet. Will attempted to grab her again, but she avoided getting captured by her husband once more.

Will appeared greatly disappointed when she entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her. A little sullen, he stepped over to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. Sighing, he moved away from the door and collapsed onto the bed, smothering his face in the pillows that were there. The man stayed that way until the door to the bathroom opened up an hour later.

"Husband?"

Will rolled over onto his back and saw his beautiful wife approaching the bed, now dressed in a red nightgown. She was smirking in his direction. Will thought that she looked absolutely ravishing in anything.

"Beautiful…" he breathed.

Lily shook her head at him and took a seat on the bed beside him. She positioned herself so that her bare feet were resting on his lap. She propped her hands up behind her and grinned. "Alright. Give my feet a massage."

"Yes, love." Will got to work on her feet.

And that was how they spent the rest of their night. Will tended to her every need and Lily enjoyed all the attention he gave her. It was nice.


	27. That Summer Breeze

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXVII: That Summer Breeze

* * *

Perspiration flittering into the air, a wordless cry of battle climbed up her throat and clawed its way out of her mouth as she brought down the hoe once again into the hard soil. Each time she brought it down, it got rid of the seeds that had been planted there yesterday. It was now summer and spring crops just weren't going to work. Chelsea had woken up early that morning to get the job done. She did not ask Mark for help and didn't want to wake him up. The farmer was sure that Mark would have helped her out anyway even if she disturbed his sleep, but she did not want to do that.

Once all of the seeds were out of the soil, Chelsea dropped her hoe to the ground and used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. It was the first day of summer and it was already insanely hot. It always got hot like that on Sunshine Islands. Summer didn't waste any time when it arrived. Chelsea disliked the summer. That meant she had to work harder in a very hot environment. It also meant that she had to sweat more.

The sun climbed higher and higher into the clear blue sky, wanting all living things to worship it. It blazed and sent tremendous heat upon the world. Chelsea wished that the sun wasn't so hot. She enjoyed fall, winter, and spring way more than she did summer. Chelsea dug into her rucksack and took out a bag of onion seeds and a bag of tomato seeds. She then got to work on planting them in the soil. Planting the seeds wasn't too hard to do. After they were securely planted, the brunette pulled her watering can out of her rucksack and began watering the freshly planted seeds. As she did, she silently wished that they would grow beautifully.

Chelsea put away her watering can and leisurely wended to the chicken coop. She tossed some chicken feed onto the ground for all of the chickens and made sure that they were all okay. She talked to them and lightly stroked their feathers. They all seemed healthy and happy, and that made her pleased. Chelsea left the chicken coop eventually and went to the animal barn. She took care of her cows, sheep, and the two horses.

"Done!" Chelsea cheered once she exited the barn. She firmly planted her hands on her hips and gazed up at the sky, a nice breeze blowing her long hair. "Now it's time to get showered!" Chelsea began trudging to her house, but she noticed Mark's small home. It was now in the afternoon and Mark still wasn't awake.

A sigh danced up her throat and jumped out of her mouth, her eyes glued to the little house. She still longed to know what had been bothering Mark that day. Chelsea didn't want to bring it up because she knew that it would probably upset him. Besides, why bring up something that wasn't even going to matter? Chelsea wanted to wake Mark up and she imagined him answering the door in his pajamas, blond hair a messy pile on top of his head and dried drool at the corner of his mouth. She saw his emerald green eyes in her mind and wondered if they would shimmer in the summer sunlight.

Feeling weird again, Chelsea vigorously shook her head and hurried on to her house to take a shower. She needed to talk to Julia about her wedding. Tomorrow was the wedding of Elliot and Julia and Chelsea was the maid of honor again. Chelsea didn't mind. She knew Julia considered her to be her best gal pal.

After completing her shower and straightening up around the house, Chelsea opened her front door and was about to burst out of the house, but someone stopped her. It was Julia and the girl was standing there in a pair of denim short shorts and a blue bikini top. Her hair was in its usual ponytail and her feet were in blue sandals.

"Julia!" yawped Chelsea, bewildered. "What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?"

"Duh! It's the first day of summer and it's _extremely_ hot!" retaliated the attractive blonde, rolling her eyes. She reached over and snagged Chelsea's wrist, yanking her out of the house. "I'm going to the beach! Actually, everyone's at the beach right now. We're having a little summer celebration. Plus, it's like a little party or something before my wedding tomorrow."

"Everyone?" Chelsea countered. "Who's everyone?"

Julia let go of her friend's wrist and kicked the house's door shut with her foot. "Well, let's see," she babbled, bringing a finger to her chin as she contemplated. "There's Denny, Lanna, Pierre, Natalie, Sabrina, Vaughn, that weird guy Shea, Elliot, and myself. You're supposed to join us and, well, Mark too. Is Mark still sleeping?" Julia turned to look at the guy's house, raising her eyebrows.

"Wait! Vaughn is still on Sunshine Islands?!" exclaimed Chelsea, eyes getting wide with surprise. "I thought Vaughn was only here two days a week! What's he still doing here?"

Julia smirked. "I bet you're happy, huh?"

"O-Of course I am!" Chelsea yipped quickly, going red in the face. "That…that means that I can spend more time with him. Is he going to participate in the activities?"

Julia rolled her eyes. "You know he isn't."

"Right." Chelsea visibly deflated.

"Anyway, why don't you go wake Mark up? Make sure you bring a swimsuit or something to wear. We're going swimming in the ocean," tittered the woman, twirling away from her and walking away. "See you there!"

Heart racing due to her excitement, Chelsea rushed over to Mark's house and frantically knocked on the door, howling for Mark to open up the door right away and that it was urgent. There was a loud crash from inside of the house before the door swung open hard, almost knocking into her. Mark stood there, eyes wild with trepidation. Chelsea couldn't help but laugh at him.

Mark's hair was messy again and he was dressed in his pajamas. Dried drool was present at the corners of his mouth and he just looked so unkempt and wild.

 _And cute. He definitely looks cute._ Chelsea ruminated to herself, her laughter simmering down while a soft smile played on her lips. However, once she fully processed what she thought, her cheeks turned a little pink and she felt all weird again. Did she always think Mark looked cute whenever he woke up like that? Chelsea instantly became uncomfortable and her smile faded a bit.

"What? What's going on?!" yelled Mark, panting loudly. "Are you hurt? Did something happen?!" His eyes studied Chelsea's form quickly, scanning for any sign of injury.

Chelsea shook her head, putting her hands behind her back. "No, Mark. Julia just stopped by. She said she and everyone else are having a little celebration at the beach today. Everyone's going to be there."

"H-Huh…?" Mark calmed down a little, blinking several times. " _That's_ why you woke me up? The way you were knocking on the door made it seem like you were in trouble, Chelsea! And…and what do you mean there's a celebration at the beach? All of the residents on Sunshine Islands will be there?"

"Sorry about that." Chelsea sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "And no, not _everyone_. It's just Julia, Elliot, Denny, Lanna, Pierre, Natalie, Vaughn, and Sabrina. Oh, and Shea."

Mark ran a hand through his messy blond hair. "And you want me to go too?"

"It would be nice to have you there!" Chelsea input with a simper. "So, get ready so we can go! I'll be in my house getting ready for it too, okay?"

"Alright…" muttered the blond. "But wait, what is Vaughn still doing on Sunshine Islands?"

Chelsea shrugged. "I have no idea, but I guess it's because Julia's wedding is tomorrow. I mean, he _is_ her cousin after all."

"Oh." Mark appeared to be disappointed, but he shook his head and put on a smile. "Okay. This should be fun. I'll see you in a minute." He shut the door in her face and was gone.

The brunette stood there for a few minutes, contemplating on her earlier thought about Mark. What in the world was wrong with her? Thinking her best friend looked cute was extremely weird to her. It made her highly uncomfortable. Chelsea breathed out a deep sigh and walked back to her house, placing thoughts of Vaughn in her head instead.

When Chelsea and Mark arrived at the beach, it was lively. There was a radio on top of a table and music was drifting from it. There was even a table with food on it. Chelsea had decided to dress in a red one piece swimsuit with orange shorts. Mark was in blue swimming trunks and nothing more. He wasn't even wearing his blue cap. That same thought came to Chelsea once again.

Mark looked _cute_ to her!

Chelsea chewed on her lower lip hard, tugging on a strand of chocolate brown hair. What was her problem? Was it really that strange to think that her best friend was cute? Chelsea thought that he was a sweetheart, but she never felt weird about that. Why was she feeling weird because Mark looked cute to her?

"Are you okay, Chels?" Mark asked her, digging his bare foot into the sand while he had his hands in the pockets of his swimming trunks.

Chelsea jumped. "U-Um…yeah! I'm cool. I'm good. Do you see Vaughn anywhere?"

"No…" mumbled the green eyed individual.

"Chelsea, Mark!" Denny exclaimed, running over to him. The guy was wearing his purple bandana and a pair of purple swimming trunks. "So, you guys made it, huh?"

Chelsea put her hands on her hips and grinned at the fisherman jubilantly. "Hey, Denny!"

"What's up, Den?" Mark spoke with a smile.

Denny trekked over to Mark's side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Nothing much! Want to get in the water, man?" he questioned his best pal.

"Um…sure?" Mark responded uncertainly.

"Great! Let's go! Pierre, Elliot, and Shea are over there too! We're having a guy's water war!" Denny announced, dragging Mark toward the ocean where the other guys were.

Chelsea watched them go before getting approached by Julia, Natalie, Lanna, and Sabrina. "Hey, guys!"

"Chelsea, we've got _great_ news for you!" declared Julia with a massive grin stuck on her face.

Natalie was smirking. "We sure do."

"Yup, yup!" Lanna squealed, clapping her hands in pure excitement.

Sabrina, however, did not appear to know what they were talking about. Instead, her eyes were on someone. Chelsea followed her gaze and could see Vaughn standing off to the side somewhere, dressed in his cowboy getup. He had his hands in his pockets and he appeared to be deep in thought. Chelsea so badly wanted to go over there and stand with him, but knew that it would be rude to ditch her friends.

"What's the great news?" Chelsea asked, not really eager to hear what it was. What could it possibly be?

"Vaughn is Elliot's best man for the wedding!" caterwauled Julia, grinning from ear to ear.

Chelsea stared at her. "So?"

"And you're the maid of honor, ding-bat!" Natalie told her, rolling her eyes. "Don't you know what that means?"

Chelsea blinked. "Uh…"

"Chelsea, it means that you and Vaughn will be dancing together!" Lanna conveyed to her, thrilled. "You guys will walk down the aisle together too!"

Heart doing a ridiculous flip in her chest, Chelsea allowed her eyes to get as big as bowling balls and her breath caught in her throat. Her hands trembled and she suddenly got weak in the knees. Butterflies were unmercifully slaughtering her insides and she thought she wasn't going to be able to take it. "V-Vaughn and I…dancing together?" she whispered gently.

"Yes! Isn't that wonderful?! It's like a dream come true for you, right!" Julia said through a giggle. "I think this will help you guys become closer. I know how much you like him, Chelsea."

Chelsea blushed. "Y-Yeah…I can't believe this is actually happening!" A smile curled her lips.

Sabrina, who had been listening, grew a solemn expression on her features and turned around, slowly leaving the beach. All the girls watched her, surprise evident on their faces.

"S-Sabrina!" Chelsea yelped, feeling incredibly bad for her. "Sabrina, wait!"

"Don't bother," ululated Natalie, crossing her arms. "I don't think she wants to talk to you right now."

Chelsea felt even worse after Natalie's blunt remark and lowered her gaze to the sandy ground. She suddenly felt Julia's arm around her shoulders and the girl hugged her comfortingly. "It's okay, Chels," commented Julia. "I'm sure Sabrina will get over it."

"But…but if I was in _her_ position, I wouldn't get over it so easily," murmured the brunette sullenly.

"Well, what are you going to do then?" Lanna wanted to know, not looking so concerned for Sabrina anymore. "I mean, you can't just stop being the maid of honor."

Chelsea shook her head rapidly. "No! I _do_ want to be the maid of honor. I have no intention of changing that. But still, I just feel really bad that…that I'll be dancing with the one Sabrina likes."

"Don't you like Vaughn, Chelsea?" Natalie retorted, wearing a frown.

"Y-Yeah…"

"Then you can't just feel bad for Sabrina. If she wants to get with Vaughn, she's going to have to act. Since she's not doing anything, _you_ can do something!" Natalie explained to her, shaking her head. "Anyway, I'm going to eat." She walked away after that.

Sighing, Chelsea thought about what the girl said.


	28. The Marriage of Julia and Elliot

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXVIII: The Marriage of Julia and Elliot

* * *

Chelsea smoothed down her bright yellow dress, making sure she was presentable enough. It was now the day of Julia's wedding and everyone was already at the church on the Harvest Goddess Island. It was taking place in the evening and it wasn't going to be such a big ceremony, definitely not like Will's and Lily's. There wasn't even a lot of guests. Julia wanted the maid of honor and all of the bridesmaids to wear yellow while all the groomsmen and best man wore black.

The dress that Chelsea was currently wearing clung to her figure nicely, much like the one she had worn at Will's wedding. This one had short sleeves that slipped off of her slender shoulders. It stopped at her knees and her yellow colored heels matched the color of the dress. Julia had done her hair, even though she was the bride for today. Chelsea didn't mind though. Chelsea's dark brown hair was draped over her shoulders in a bunch of curls.

"Are you ready, Julia?" Chelsea questioned her friend, stepping over to her and examining the attractive blonde's wedding dress as they stood in front of a large mirror.

"Of course I am!" vociferated the bride, grinning at her reflection in pure elation. "I'm fully ready to become Elliot's wife."

Julia was a radiant bride. Her wedding gown was incredibly long, piling up at her feet below. It was a bright yellow, as yellow as the burning sun. It was also immensely frilly. It hugged Julia's body like a second layer of skin and it seemed to glitter beautifully in the dim light of the room that they were occupying. Julia's hair was not in its usual ponytail and was falling all over her shoulders. Her blonde hair was decorated with several yellow ribbons. Julia looked truly beautiful.

"You look beautiful, Jules," vocalized Chelsea, smiling fondly at her friend. "Elliot's eyes are going to pop right out of his head when he sees you in your wedding gown."

Julia smirked and put one hand on her hip, still inspecting herself in the mirror and enjoying what she saw. "I know. He's going to totally love this."

"I can't believe you're getting married, Julia. And you're going to have a baby too!" Chelsea talked, clasping her hands in front of her and getting all teary eyed.

"I know," murmured the blonde woman, sighing and shaking her head. "I'm going to be a mother. We already settled on two names."

Chelsea raised her eyebrows. "Oh? What are they?"

"If it's a boy, we're naming him Julien. And if it's a girl, we're naming her Ellie. They're cute, right?" Julia responded, sounding giddy. "I'm hoping it's a girl though! But I wouldn't mind a boy either."

Chelsea giggled. "That's great, Julia! Those names sound similar to yours and Elliot's names. That's kind of cool, I guess." Chelsea was truly happy for her gal pal.

"I know," Julia agreed with a massive grin. "Oh, the ceremony is about to start, right?"

"That's right. I think everyone is in position now. The bridesmaids and groomsmen are all ready to walk down the aisle and whatnot."

Julia twirled around so that she was facing the brunette. She placed her hands on her shoulders and smiled widely. "Are you ready to spend some time with Vaughn tonight?"

Chelsea felt her face heat up. "Y-Yeah, I am."

"You guys are going to walk down the aisle together and then you're going to be dancing together later! It'll be so wonderful! When are you planning on telling him how you feel, huh?" Julia wanted to know.

"Not tonight." Chelsea shook her head. "Anyway, we can't talk about this right now. I have to get out there soon."

Julia huffed. "Oh, fine."

Chelsea gave her friend a thumbs-up before leaving the room. As soon as she did, she stepped into the area where the ceremony was taking place. All of the guests were seated and the groomsmen and bridesmaids were already walking down the aisle. Chelsea waited for her turn and then started walking, Vaughn coming out from the other side to join her.

The silver haired individual sneezed into his arm before taking her side. Chelsea looped her arm around his and they walked together. As they did, Vaughn completely ignored her and was too busy sniffling. Chelsea's heart was thumping against her chest wildly from how close she was to the cowboy and how different he looked in a black tuxedo. He wasn't even wearing his hat and his eyes were much more visible!

 _He's so handsome._ Chelsea thought, her legs feeling like jelly. They were shaky and she was wobbling terribly as they continued onward.

Vaughn sneezed into his arm again and then sighed deeply, eyes narrowed into slits while his face remained stoic. It was then that Chelsea began to wonder if he was sick.

"Are you okay?" she whispered to him.

The cold character glanced at her quickly, frowning. "Never better," he mumbled quietly, pulling his arm out of hers as they reached the end. He walked over to the left side while Chelsea went to the right.

As Chelsea took her place, she couldn't help but feel incredibly worried about the livestock dealer. He honestly did not look so good and she was sure that he wasn't telling her the truth. Chelsea made sure to ask him again when she got the chance to see him again.

* * *

It did not take long for the ceremony to end. Chelsea had been in tears after Julia and Elliot shared their kiss that would make them husband and wife. The applauding had been loud and there were even merry cheers. Chelsea had clapped as much as she could for her two friends.

When the reception came around, Chelsea sat with all of the bridesmaids, but Mark had come up to her. He was one of the groomsmen and, once again, Chelsea thought he looked really cute without his hat and in a suit.

"Chelsea?" Mark communicated quietly, cheeks turning red when all of the girls at the table stopped their conversation to stare at him.

Chelsea kept her eyes glued to him, feeling all weird again. She fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably and raised an eyebrow at the male. "Yeah? What's up, Mark?" she asked, wanting to know what he needed.

"Is it, uh, true that you're dancing with Vaughn?" Mark demanded to know.

"Why do you want to know that?" countered Natalie, giving the blond a knowing look and smirking while she was at it. "Something bothering you, Mark?"

Mark's entire face was now crimson. "N-No!" he exclaimed wildly, quickly turning around and hurrying back the way he came. "Never mind! It was nothing! No big deal!"

"Mark is weird," commented Lanna, slurping up some egg soup. " _Really_ weird."

"Yeah," muttered Chelsea. "He is kind of weird sometimes, but he's still my best friend. I wondered why he asked me that."

Natalie laughed. "You're so dense, Chelsea!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chelsea retaliated, narrowing her eyes at the pink haired girl.

"Oh, nothing," sang Natalie, rolling her eyes.

Chelsea felt insulted, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, her eyes went over to Sabrina. The girl was silent the entire time and had her head down, hands in her lap. She wasn't even eating and Chelsea was greatly worried about her. Chelsea assumed that she was still upset about the fact that she would be dancing with Vaughn and not her.

"Sabrina?" Chelsea voiced quietly, trying to get the female's attention.

Sabrina shook her head and got up from the table, sluggishly approaching the entrance of the church. Chelsea wanted to get up and go after her, but refrained from doing so. Sabrina probably didn't want to speak to her, just like Natalie had told her yesterday.

"Wow, she's just going to leave the wedding like that?" Natalie talked, rolling her eyes for the millionth time. "That's really rude. I mean, who does things like that?"

Lanna shrugged. "Who knows?"

Chelsea eventually stopped listening to the words that were tumbling out of their mouths and used her eyes to scan her surroundings, seeking out a cowboy. When she found him, she saw him sitting on a chair and away from everyone else. The guy was continuously sneezing into his arm, one hand resting on his thigh.

"I'll see you guys in a little bit," Chelsea reported to her friends. "There's something I need to do. Be right back!"

Chelsea trekked rapidly over to the silver haired cowboy, wincing every time the man sneezed into his arm. When she stopped in front of him, Vaughn lifted his head to glower at her, obviously wanting to be alone. Chelsea, however, did not leave and stood there with an expression of concern painting her face.

"Vaughn?" she ululated quietly. "Are you feeling okay? Tell the truth."

"What does it look like?" Vaughn retorted callously, quickly sneezing into his arm again. He pulled his head back and grimaced, sniffling. "I'm sick, alright? Can't you see that? Stop asking me pointless questions that you already know the answer to."

The brunette felt annoyance enter her bloodstream and explode into her brain. The animal trader was being overly vicious today and that made her want to pull her hair out. All because he was sick didn't mean he had to unleash all of his frustration out on others. Chelsea was about to reprimand him for it, but thought against it. That would probably make things even worse than they already were. So, instead, Chelsea grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the man, sitting down beside him.

"I'm just worried about you, you know." Chelsea could not help but admire him. Vaughn looked so handsome, especially without his hat. He looked so nice that Chelsea just wanted to hug him tight. "I've never seen you sick before. Is it really bad?"

Vaughn glared at her, clearly annoyed. "No. I'm just sneezing. That's all. You should probably stay away from me before you catch whatever I have. I shouldn't even _be_ here!"

"Relax," Chelsea remarked. "I'm sure I won't catch anything." Then, with much hesitation, the farmer reached over and placed her palm against his forehead, checking to see if he was hot. When he wasn't, she pulled her hand away. "I don't think you have a fever."

"Of course I don't have a fever!" growled the cowboy, sneezing into his arm a few more times. He sniffled loudly and shook his head, rubbing his nose. "My freaking nose is bothering me!"

Chelsea clamped a hand over her mouth to stop the laugh that wanted to bounce out. Vaughn noticed her futile attempt and his dark glare intensified. Then, Chelsea was unable to hold it any longer and she just burst out laughing. She knew it was wrong to laugh, but she had never seen Vaughn behave this way before. It was all new to her and it made her like him even more.

"Are you done?" Vaughn grumbled in immense aggravation. The male was enormously fed up with the female rancher. He didn't even want to be at the wedding. He wanted to remain alone and away from everyone else.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Chelsea rubbed her eyes, getting rid of some tears. "It was wrong of me to laugh. I hope you get better soon, Vaughn. I really do. Oh…um…do you know that we have to dance together as the maid of honor and best man?"

The cowboy stiffened slightly. "Yeah…"

As if on cue, someone announced that it was time for the first dance. Chelsea's heart skipped a beat at the sound of that and she nervously got up from her chair. She could see everyone grabbing their partners and heading out into the dance floor, even the newlyweds. Vaughn removed himself from his seat and put his hands in his pockets, avoiding looking at the brunette beside him.

"I don't want to touch you…" he muttered lowly, emotionlessly. "I don't want to get you sick."

"I told you, I don't think I'll get sick," rebutted Chelsea, swaying her head in a shake. "Don't worry about that. Are you, um, ready for this?"

Without a word, the cowboy took one hand out of his pocket and held it out for Chelsea. Chelsea smiled with a heavy blush and placed her hand into his. Vaughn closed his hand around hers and led her to the dance floor.

It all felt like a dream to Chelsea after that. They glided along the floor like they were flying. That was how it seemed to Chelsea as they held each other close. Sure, Vaughn sneezed a few times, but it was still magical to her. Nothing else mattered in that moment and she completely oblivious to everything else around her, even to the sad look Mark was sending her way.


	29. When One Portrays the Past

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXIX: When One Portrays the Past

* * *

Each sneeze was violent and each one damaged his mood even further. His nose itched and was constantly runny. His eyes were starting to join in on the act too by tearing up terribly. Blowing his nose into a handful of tissues did not help and burying his face into the pillow on the mattress didn't help either. Mirabelle was preparing him some tea in the kitchen and Julia was in the process of bringing him extra blankets. Vaughn informed her that he did not need extra blankets and that it was too hot for that, but she did not listen. His cousin was insanely stubborn and she would never take no for an answer. Once her mind was set on something, it was not hard to convince her to alter her decisions. It was impossible.

Vaughn sat at the edge of his bed in the guestroom, a box of tissues on his lap. He sniffled loudly and threw back his head, wishing his nose would stop bothering him. His eyes were tearing up again and it felt like he was crying. In addition to all of the wretchedness he was experiencing, his body felt so weak. It was like his body weighed a ton of bricks. He wondered if he had caught anything from Sabrina when she had kissed him that day. He sure hoped not.

 _Sabrina. I haven't…seen her in a while. I saw her yesterday at the wedding, but then she suddenly wasn't there. After the dance I had with Chelsea, I looked for her, but she wasn't around. Where could she have gone?_

The cowboy ran a hand through his silver tresses and sniffed. If he _had_ caught something from the raven haired female, he wouldn't be angered by it. In fact, it wouldn't even be her fault. It would have been _his_ fault for letting her kiss him and for getting so close to her when she had been ill.

Vaughn _wanted_ to see her again. He did not understand it at all, but he _really_ wanted to see her. The male wanted to hear her voice again and needed to have her near. It baffled him greatly. Vaughn didn't know why he felt this way. It frustrated him and that same desire always stabbed at his heart repeatedly, urging him to act on this constant desire.

"Vaughn?" chattered Julia, entering the room without knocking. Her arms were full of extra blankets and she strolled on over to his bed, dumping them on it. When she was done, she put her hands on her hips and watched him carefully. "Vaughn, how do you feel now? Mom's almost done with the tea."

Deciding not to answer her useless questions, the icy character ignored her and pulled a few tissues out of his tissue box. He pressed the tissues against his nose and blew hard, creating an embarrassing sound. Vaughn grimaced at the noise he made and tossed the damp tissues into a nearby trash bin. He plucked the box of tissues from his lap and placed them beside him on the bed he was sitting on. A heavy sigh trickled out of his mouth and he bowed his head, closing his eyes.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his back. Vaughn's entire body turned to stone and he jerked upright, snapping his head to the right to see Julia sitting down next to him. A worried look decorated her pretty features and she used her hand to rub circles on his back in a gentle manner. Vaughn wanted to toss a cold retort at her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. So, he forced his body to relax and lowered his head again as Julia continued to rub his back.

"There, there," she caterwauled softly to her relative. "It'll all be over soon. Mom is getting you some medicine as well. We're not sure what kind of sickness you have, but we're sure it's nothing serious."

"Shouldn't you be with your husband?" Vaughn asked her suddenly, voice sounding a little different because of his stuffy and runny nose. "You just got married…" he grumbled irritably. "You should be with him right now instead of taking care of me. I'll be fine."

Julia scoffed and rolled her eyes, never letting up on rubbing his back in a comforting manner. "Oh, hush. Elliot understands. Besides, he knows how much you mean to me, Vaughn," she chatted, shaking her head. "You're my cousin, but you might as well be my brother. That's what I think of you as. You're annoying, rude, blunt, and a cold guy, but you'll always be my brother. And I'll always care about you. Mom cares about you too, you know. So don't you think for a second that you're alone in this world, because I know that's what you often assume about yourself. That's why you don't let anyone get too close, that's why you have that icy attitude toward people."

"You don't know anything about me…!" growled out the cowboy, trying to move away from her, but Julia pulled him into a soft hug. Vaughn froze in her arms and did not return her unexpected embrace. Vaughn wanted to be alone now. He was experiencing foreign emotions that he did not want to go through. It was all so strange and he didn't understand it. "Stop…stop acting like you know me…" Nobody knew him. It was only _him_ that knew him.

"I know you, Vaughn," remarked the blonde, still holding him close to her.

"And I know you too, nephew," Mirabelle talked, stepping into the room with a cup of tea in her hand and a bottle of medicine in the other. "Your mother, Annabelle, was just like you when she was little. So, I definitely know you."

Vaughn refused to speak after that, hands shaking from the mentioning of his mother. He became comfortable again when Julia let go of him and fled the room. He didn't even thank his aunt when Mirabelle handed him the tea and bottle of medicine, instructing him to only consume one tablet. After his aunt was gone, she shut the door behind her and Vaughn's hands continued to shake.

The man could barely swallow the tablet in his mouth with the hot tea. The liquid burned his mouth, but he barely felt it. His entire body felt numb all of a sudden and his mind went dizzy with thoughts of his mother and a past life that he wanted to forget completely. There were faces that he wanted to delete from his memory, but they were always there. They were there permanently and there was nothing he could do to get rid of them. Vaughn stood up from the bed and, with trembling legs, walked over to a table and placed his cup of tea on top of it along with the bottle of medicine.

Once he was done with that, he approached a mirror in the room and examined himself. There were dark bags underneath his eyes, his skin was a little pale, his eyes were still tearing up, and his nose was continuously runny. Silver colored hair atop his head was wild and unkempt and he was a little slouched over. His eyes were hollow and his face was entirely blank, devoid of all emotion.

Then, out of the complete and oblivious blue, a knock sounded at his door and then Julia's voice came, "Vaughn, there's someone here to see you."

Vaughn turned away from the mirror, putting his attention on the door. He had no intention of answering and he didn't want to see anyone at the moment. His mood was thoroughly damaged and he just wanted to be alone.

"It's Sabrina…"

Eyes widening slightly, the cold man moved to the door sluggishly and opened it, seeing Julia standing there. She gave him a concerned expression and was about to open her mouth to ask how he was doing, but Vaughn beat her to it and cut her off.

"I can see her…" he mumbled out.

Julia blinked a few times before nodding grimly and stepping away from the door. When she came back, she was with Sabrina. Sabrina looked the same as ever with her dark hair and glasses. She was dressed casually in her normal attire and she had her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Julia didn't say anything as she left the two of them alone. In fact, she seemed kind of disappointed and a little upset. Vaughn didn't know why and he didn't _want_ to know why.

The cowboy pushed the door open wider for Sabrina to enter and she did so with a massive amount of hesitation. Vaughn shut the door behind her and then sneezed loudly into his bare arm. When he pulled his head back, he grimaced and pulled some tissues out of the tissue box, wiping the snot off of his skin.

"Excuse me…" Vaughn grumbled in agitation, feeling a little bit embarrassed. He sat down on the edge of his bed again and sighed heavily.

"I am so sorry, Vaughn!" Sabrina cried out suddenly, bowing deep at the waist. "Th-This is all my fault! You got sick because of me!"

Vaughn looked at her, eyes narrowed. "This is not your fault, Sabrina."

Sabrina straightened up and shook her head vigorously, tears gathering in her eyes. "No! It _is_ my fault! If you hadn't taken me home that day…if I hadn't _kissed_ you, then you wouldn't be sick right now!" She sounded so sad.

Vaughn exhaled deeply, pressing a tissue against his nose to stop a sneeze from coming out. When the feeling passed, he removed the tissue and put his hands in his lap. "Think what you want," he said irefully. "Just know that _I_ don't think this is your fault, nor do I blame you for this."

Sabrina stared at him for a long moment, not saying anything. Then, she moved closer to him and lowered herself on the bed next to him. She sniffled for a moment before calming herself down.

No words came from the female and Vaughn was grateful for that. He didn't wish to hear words at the moment. He just wanted to sit in silence with Sabrina as his company. For reasons that were completely unknown to him, the wealthy girl calmed him tremendously. His irritation evaporated and there was only a deep sadness left. The sadness was due to thinking about a past he wanted to leave forgotten.

"My…mom didn't care for me…" Vaughn found himself saying, and he wanted to curse himself silly for it too. The words just happened to leap out of his mouth without his consent. They just kept coming and they wouldn't stop. "My father didn't either. He would beat us both, but he paid special attention to me."

While listening to Vaughn reveal pieces of his past, Sabrina brought her hands up to her mouth as more tears stung her eyes. Vaughn ignored her actions and went on, unable to stop. "My father _hated_ me. My mother never did anything to prevent my father from hurting me. She always watched, crying and obeying his _every_ command." Vaughn shook his head, hands shaking once more. "Eventually, my mother disappeared one day. She never came back. She _abandoned_ me, left me there with that _monster_. I was alone for a while until my father got arrested for a crime he committed."

"V-Vaughn…" whispered Sabrina, wanting to comfort him somehow, but not knowing how to go about doing that.

"I was sent to an orphanage for a year or two, just waiting." The silver haired man kept his eyes on the floor, still trying to stop the words from pouring out of his mouth, but it was futile. "Then my aunt Mirabelle found me along with my cousin Julia. I stayed with them until I was eighteen. I got a job and managed to get my own place. Years later I found out that Aunt Mirabelle and Julia moved to some place called Sunshine Islands and…yeah."

Sabrina reached over and took Vaughn's hand in her own, lacing their fingers together. She stared at him and allowed her tears to roll down her cheeks. "I am so sorry, Vaughn. That is so horrible…so horrible…"

Mildly irritated from her tears, Vaughn used his free hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. "Why're you crying? You don't have to cry for me…"

"But if I won't, who will?!" Sabrina blurted out in a broken voice. She let go of his hand and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I _have_ to cry for you because I care about you, Vaughn!"

Vaughn froze, eyes widening while his cheeks flushed. He did not return her embrace, but he could feel her body trembling against his own. He was shocked that someone other than his two relatives cared about him and would say that to his face. When Sabrina pulled away, she used her hands to hold his one hand, staring directly at his face.

"I'm _always_ going to be here for you and I'm always going to care," Sabrina told him, her cheeks stained pink. "D-Don't ever think you're alone b-because…because _I'm_ here."

An overwhelming sense of gratitude flowed throughout Vaughn's being and his hands shook for a different reason now. A strong desire to lean back and turn away from her overtook him, but he shut his eyes and...

... _sneezed_.

Right in her face!

They both froze, staring at each other.

Vaughn's face felt warm and he snatched his hand out of Sabrina's grasp. "Th-That was an accident…!"

Sabrina grabbed some tissues out of the tissue box and wiped her face, amused giggles frolicking out of her mouth. "I-It's okay! I p-probably won't catch anything because I already had it!"

The livestock dealer calmed down after hearing that and he allowed a small smile to touch his lips.


	30. Seeking Out a Date

Note: Six chapters left. Thank you for the reviews.

* * *

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXX: Seeking Out a Date

* * *

"Fireworks Festival is tomorrow. You got someone to go with yet?"

Mark scratched his cheek at Denny's query, eyeing the glass of vegetable juice in front of him. The two men were currently at Nick's Diner for lunch. The fisherman had invited him, but Mark wasn't that hungry. Denny, however, had a big appetite and was devouring a giant plate of sashimi.

"No…" lamented the rancher quietly. "You know I don't. I can't ask Chelsea and I'm definitely _not_ going with Alisa. I don't care what you or anyone else says."

"Why can't you ask Chelsea?" Denny yakked, mouth filled up to the brim with sashimi. "She's not going with anyone so far and Vaughn isn't even on the islands."

Mark took a sip of his vegetable juice. "You know exactly why. And you're incorrect about one thing, Den."

"And what's that?" questioned Denny.

"Vaughn _is_ still on Sunshine Islands," ululated the blond in response to Denny's question. "He couldn't go back to the city today because, well, he's sick."

Denny swallowed the food in his mouth and slapped a hand against the counter hard, making other customers twist their heads around to peer at them. Denny ignored them and just grinned widely at his best friend. "Mark, don't you see? That's a _good_ thing!"

"A good thing?" Mark raised an eyebrow. "Vaughn being sick is a good thing? Denny, you're awful."

Denny shook his head rapidly. "No! I mean, well, of course it's not good that Vaughn is sick, but this gives you the perfect opportunity to ask Chelsea to be your date to the Fireworks Festival!"

"How?" Mark demanded to know, trying not to get his hopes up. "Chelsea is definitely going to want to ask Vaughn to be her date to the Fireworks Festival, Denny. You should've seen how excited she was that Vaughn was still on Sunshine Islands! She couldn't stop talking about him all morning long as we worked on the ranch!"

"Man, Vaughn is _sick_!" Denny squawked, lightly punching Mark in the shoulder. "Do you not know what that means? Please tell me you know what that means, Mark! If you don't, I will forever think you're a dummy."

Not wanting the fisherman to label him as a 'dummy', Mark struggled to come up with an intelligent answer. If Vaughn was sick, how was that a good thing? Mark thought about it long and hard before coming to a conclusion. "Oh! He won't be able to go to the Fireworks Festival!" Mark slammed a fist into his open palm. "Is that right?"

"Yes, M. Yes." Denny rolled his eyes, getting back to work on his sashimi.

"See? I'm smarter than I look." Mark grabbed his glass of vegetable juice and gulped the rest down. "I guess I do have a chance to ask Chelsea to watch the Fireworks Festival with me. Vaughn won't be able to accept her offer. Still, it makes me kind of sad that she went to him first instead of me. Last year we went together because Vaughn wasn't even on the islands. Actually, Gannon was with us, so it wasn't just the two of us."

"Tomorrow it'll just be the two of you," commented Denny as he continued to devour his food. "You know, that would be the perfect time to confess how you feel about her, Mark. I'd do it if I were you."

Mark shook his head. "You wouldn't."

"And why is that?" Denny was staring at him now, raising an eyebrow.

"Because if you were me, you'd be… _me_! I won't do it, so if you were me, then you wouldn't do it either," Mark explained to him with a cheeky grin. "Get it?"

"Yeah," drawled Denny slowly, resting his chin in his palm. "Let me word that better then. If I were in your _position_ , I'd go through with it and tell her how I feel already."

Mark shrugged. "I'm not you, Denny…and you're not me either."

"Well, like I said before, it's all up to you whether you tell her how you feel or not," Denny said, shaking his head and finishing up his sashimi. "I have no control over what you do, but I _can_ encourage you. So, I'm encouraging you now. _Tell_ her how you feel on the Fireworks Festival, Mark!"

Mark scratched the top of his head, ruminating about what his friend said. Thinking about telling Chelsea how he felt while fireworks exploded throughout the night sky made him extremely nervous and it made him blush too. "W-We'll see…" Mark muttered. "But I doubt it's going to happen."

"Fine. Tell me all about it," Denny remarked.

"Alright." Mark pushed his empty glass around the table. "Where's your fiancée at?"

Denny leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "Well, I think she's out doing some fishing. Not really sure."

"Are you excited about the wedding next season?" Mark asked him, green eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Heck yeah, I am!" clamored the fisherman.

Suddenly, a familiar face entered the diner and he approached the table that they were sitting at, a charming smile decorating his facial features. Mark's eyes widened when he saw the individual and he almost fell out of his chair.

"Will!"

Will took a seat at their table, the smile never leaving his face. "Good evening, Mark. Good evening, Denny. It feels like it's been ages since we've seen each other."

"You've been gone for a long time, man!" Denny exclaimed with big eyes. "How was your honeymoon?"

"It was wonderful," quipped the wealthy man, putting his hands on the table. "Lily and I had a very nice time."

Mark smiled at him. "I've been taking care of Arthur for you. He's really healthy, Will. So, don't worry."

"Thank you!" Will looked pleased.

"Lily's not pregnant, is she?" Denny questioned out of the blue without any shame.

Mark's mouth dropped open at Denny's rude question and he elbowed his friend in the ribs hard, making him wince. "Denny! You don't just ask people that! That's rude!"

"Sorry Charlie! It was just a question!" Denny squalled, rubbing his bruised ribs. "That hurt, Mark! Geez Louise!"

Will did not feel offended and he was chuckling openly at Denny's question. "Of course not," he answered, shaking his head. "We are not ready for children yet."

Mark was relieved that Will was not insulted by Denny's abrupt and blunt question and he sighed. "Well, that's good. You missed Julia's and Elliot's wedding, you know."

"Oh? What a shame," muttered Will, shrugging. "Who is getting married next? I'll make sure not to miss that one."

"Well, Pierre and Natalie are getting married next on the first day of fall," Denny responded with a happy smile. "Then Lanna and I are getting married toward the end of fall."

Will beamed. "Well then! I suppose that I'm going to both of those weddings."

"Yeah…I have to be Pierre's best man," sighed Mark with a shake of his head, not really looking forward to it. "And I'm Denny's best man too."

"Oh! Were you Elliot's best man as well?" Will wondered.

Mark shook his head. "Nope!"

"Oh, okay." Will shrugged.

"So, are you going to the Fireworks Festival, Will?" asked the fisherman, crossing his arms over his chest.

Will gave him a nod. "Yes. Lily wants to go, so I have to go with her. What about you?"

"Of course. Lanna and I are going together," tittered Denny with a grin.

"And you, Mark?" Will threw all of his attention at the blond farmer, curiosity coloring his face.

Mark looked away from him and shrugged. "Uh, maybe. I have to, uh, ask someone…"

"Alisa?" Will guessed.

"N-No…I-I mean…uh…" Mark could feel his face getting warm and it suddenly felt hot in the diner.

"He wants to ask Chelsea to be his date to the Fireworks Festival," Denny keened, answering for Mark because he was too busy sputtering about.

Mark gave his best pal a look. "Denny!"

"What?" Denny held up his hands, smirking.

Will was smirking too. "Oh, that's right. You fancy Chelsea a lot, yes?"

"W-Well…yeah…" Mark murmured quietly, dropping his gaze to the table.

"Then ask her," commented Will easily. "You can probably tell her how you feel about her during the festival."

"That's what I said!" Denny chirped.

Mark shook his head. "It's not that simple! She likes Vaughn! Besides, she'll probably say no to me."

"You don't know that." Will was giving Mark a sympathetic expression.

"Exactly," said Denny, agreeing with the other blond. "If Vaughn declines her offer because he's sick, ask her to go to the Fireworks Festival with you. Then, you can tell her how you feel. I'm encouraging you, man."

Mark got silent and he sighed deeply, shaking his head. "Alright, fine…I'll ask her to watch the fireworks with me, but I won't tell her how I feel!"

"Fine." Denny rolled his eyes.

"It's up to you." Will grinned.

Mark only sighed again.

The farmer parted ways with the two men later on that day. He approached Ranch Island and immediately found Chelsea there. The girl was sitting in front of her farm house, red bandana in her hands while her head was bowed. Mark couldn't read the expression on her face because he couldn't really see it that well. He knew something was up.

"Chelsea?" Mark talked, hurrying over to her. He sat down next to her on the porch and poked her shoulder. "Chelsea, are you alright?"

Chelsea shook her head, sniffling. When she lifted her head, her eyes were red and it was obvious that she had been crying. Instantly, Mark became concerned and he put an arm around her shoulders, wondering if she was hurt.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Mark threw questions at her like there was no tomorrow. "What happened? Why were you crying? Talk to me!"

Chelsea shrugged his arm off of her, shaking her head again. "I'm not hurt, Mark."

Mark grabbed at his knees, feeling a little hurt that Chelsea shrugged him off like that. However, he tossed his feelings to the side and just focused on his best friend. "Then…what's wrong?" he asked.

"I asked Vaughn if he wanted to watch the fireworks with me tomorrow for the Fireworks Festival…"

Mark frowned. "And?"

"And…he said no," answered Chelsea solemnly, blinking back tears. "I-I think he already has a date to the festival tomorrow, that's why he said no to me."

Inside, Mark was cheering and doing happy dances, but on the outside he was feeling really sorry for his best friend. Sure, he didn't want Chelsea to go with Vaughn, but he didn't want Chelsea to be upset either. He just wanted her to be happy. "Chelsea," he began quietly. "I think Vaughn said no because he's sick…not because he has a date already."

"R-Really?" Chelsea perked up a little at the sound of that. She used her arm to wipe at her eyes and nose and an expression of realization jumped onto her facial features. "Oh! That's…that's right! He was sneezing during the wedding yesterday! He _is_ sick!"

"Yeah…" Mark managed to say through a deep sigh. He was sullen because Chelsea was so easily brightened up by what he just told her.

Chelsea was smiling now. "I should have known! Oh, I should do something for him because he's sick."

"Uh, Chelsea…?" Mark blubbered quietly, nervous.

"What?" Chelsea turned her head to look at him.

Mark rubbed the back of his neck without looking at her, cheeks turning pink. "Uh…would you like to go to the Fireworks Festival with me tomorrow since, well, you don't have anybody to go with…?"

"Sure." Chelsea shrugged. "No problem."

"Really?" Mark started grinning.

Chelsea nodded, getting to her feet. "Yeah! We went last year, so we can go this year too! If Vaughn wasn't sick then I'd be going with him!"

Mark bit his tongue to keep from blurting out something foul, but he held it in and looked away from her, feeling angry inside. How could Chelsea not know that he liked her? Why did he have to be the one to tell her?


	31. Fireworks Festival

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXI: Fireworks Festival

* * *

Mark put on his blue cap as he approached Chelsea's farmhouse. He was dressed in his usual attire, but he had made sure to comb his hair before putting his hat on. Mark's heart was beating faster and faster the closer he got to his best friend's house. They would be watching the fireworks together tonight. It made him excited and extremely nervous. He kept thinking about whether not if he should tell her how he felt about her. Mark still didn't come to a decision yet, but he doubted that he would tell her anything about his feelings toward her. He knew it would end in a disaster. Mark was just content to spend time with her and nothing more.

The rancher lifted a fist and knocked on her door a few times, the moon's light bathing him. The door swung open after a few seconds and Chelsea stood there in a very casual outfit, wearing her red bandana and all. There was a smile present on her pretty face and she waved at him.

"Hey, Mark. You ready for the fireworks?" she questioned him mirthfully.

Mark nodded, smiling back at her. "Yeah. You?"

"Of course! I love the fireworks!" yawped the brunette, hopping out of her house and shutting the door behind her. She immediately started walking after that, not even waiting for her best friend.

The blond rushed over to her side and hesitantly reached out and took her hand in his. Mark surprised himself by committing such an act and was scared that Chelsea was going to snatch her hand out of his grasp and punch him in the face, but she never did. Instead, she gave his hand a squeeze and simpered.

Mark realized that this was normal. There was nothing wrong with exchanging physical contact with one another. It was what they did since they were best friends and all. Mark didn't want it that way anymore. He wanted the physical contact to mean something more. He wanted it to be overly affectionate. When he did touch her or give her hugs, he did it with a huge amount of affection. That was another thing Chelsea was completely oblivious about.

When they reached Meadow Island, Mark was mildly joyous that their hands were still joined. He knew, however, that Chelsea did not think anything of it. In fact, her hand was now loose in his grip and she was peering around at all of the people that had decided to attend the event. Deciding to look around too, Mark noticed that Denny and Lanna were standing off to the side somewhere together. They were talking to each other, but Mark couldn't tell what they were saying. He was too far to hear the words coming out of their mouths.

Natalie was there too, standing with Pierre on the tall grass. Pierre still had on his purple top hat and was chatting enthusiastically with his fiancée. As he went on and on, Natalie appeared bored and uninterested. Her arms were folded and she was looking elsewhere, obviously not focusing on what her fiancé was rambling about. Mark wanted to shake his head at her because she was being rude to Pierre, but didn't do it. Natalie didn't care what others thought of her, not even Pierre.

Julia was sitting on a blanket on the ground, legs crossed. Elliot was beside her, having an arm around his wife's shoulders. The pink haired male appeared to be really happy. Julia said something to him and it made him smile. Mark wished that he could do that with Chelsea, but he knew that probably would _never_ happen.

Will was present with his wife, Lily, as well. The two of them were strolling through the grass while speaking in low tones, hands joined. Their fingers were laced together and Lily was absentmindedly leaning against her husband. They both seemed incredibly content with each other.

Mark saw no sign of Alisa, Sabrina, or Vaughn. He was relieved for that. If Vaughn had decided to show up even though he was sick, Chelsea probably would have ditched him and ran to the cowboy. If Alisa was there, Chelsea would have forced him to spend the festival with her. If Sabrina had been present, well, that wouldn't have been a problem.

As they searched for a place to stand or sit, Mark could see Gannon with his young daughter, Eliza. Mark thought Eliza was a cute little thing, but she also had a big mouth on her. Whenever she opened it, words could not stop spilling from it. Her mouth was like a waterfall, the water being the words. They never stopped falling. Eliza was currently holding her father's giant hand with her tiny one, constantly yakking about something irrelevant. Gannon, wanting to be a great father to his little girl, pretended to be paying attention to every word that shot out of her mouth.

Chen and his little son, Charlie, approached the duo. Chen waved his hands about, talking to Gannon about something. Gannon immediately removed his attention from his child and placed it on the man, happy to have a distraction from his daughter's constant chattering. Knowing that her father wasn't listening to her anymore, Eliza hurled all of her words at poor little Charlie.

Taro was keeping his daughter, Felicia, some company. The two of them were slowly sauntering through the grass, gossiping about something. The two of them looked happy to be in each other's company, which was a nice thing to see. There were a bunch of other villagers there to witness the fireworks, but Mark didn't pay them too much attention.

"Let's stand here," talked Chelsea, slipping her hand out of his grasp and shaking it. "Ew, sweaty!" she laughed, wiping her hand on her long shorts.

Mark's face flared up and he also wiped his hand on his overalls. "S-Sorry about that!" he commented, feeling very stupid.

"It's fine." Chelsea shrugged. "We were holding hands for a long time."

Mark shakily nodded and then just stood there, staring up at the night sky, waiting for the fireworks to show up. He longed to reach over and take Chelsea's hand again, but he knew that was a very bad idea. He did _not_ want Chelsea to think that he liked her. Heck, he didn't even want to _tell_ her. Still, he began to think about what Denny said and wondered if he should really go through with it.

"Man, I really wish Vaughn wasn't sick," sighed the brunette beside him, appearing a little downcast. "That would be so wonderful. I wouldn't be so bored right now. I probably would have been able to get to know him even better."

"Bored?" Mark said out loud, voicing his thoughts. Then, he frowned and shook his head. "Never mind."

Chelsea turned her head to look at him. "Did you say something?"

"No…" Mark's heart sank. "I didn't say anything."

"Oh…" Chelsea stared at him for a long moment before looking away from him and placing her gaze on the sky. "Can't wait for these fireworks!"

Mark wasn't speaking anymore. All he could think about was what Chelsea had said. She was bored? Did he bore her? Was he boring to be around? That made him forlorn. Why didn't she enjoy being around him? Mark turned his hands into fists at his sides and lowered his head, not even looking up to see the first firework explode into the sky. Lights flashed beautifully from above, but Mark could only keep his head bowed.

"Mark, you're missing it!" Chelsea exclaimed merrily, clapping her hands as she watched the fireworks dance in the endless ocean above. "The fireworks are starting! Man, it would have been so cool to see this with Vaughn! Don't you think, Mark? Wouldn't it be great if you saw the fireworks with Alisa?"

Mark didn't know why he did it, but he suddenly snapped, "I don't like Alisa, okay!"

"Huh?" Chelsea spoke, having to yell due to the sound of the fireworks continuously bursting in the sky and all of the voices around them. "What did you say?"

"I said I don't like Alisa!" howled Mark, frustration written across his face. "I only said that because I didn't want to say who I _really_ liked!"

Chelsea's features morphed into an expression of discombobulation and she tilted her head to the side, leaning toward him a little. "You like Alisa?" she asked, not hearing him correctly. A grin spread across her face and she laughed. "I already know that, Mark! You should have asked her to come see the fireworks instead of me! You two probably would have kissed or something! Ha!"

" _What_?!" Mark yelped in shock, his face heating up. "Th-That's…I-I didn't _say_ that! I said-"

"You're so cute when you blush, Mark!" Chelsea interrupted him with a wild guffaw, bringing her eyes back to the fireworks frolicking in the sky. "I bet Alisa thinks that too! You know, you should really spend more time with her!"

Mark's face was now burning. Chelsea thought he was cute when he blushed? "Chelsea, you're not hearing me right!" he yelled desperately. "I said I _don't_ like Alisa!"

"I know you like her, Mark!" giggled Chelsea. "Why don't you go tell her that yourself?"

"No!"

"No?"

"You're not hearing me right, Chelsea!" wailed Mark. "Alisa is not the one that I like! I-I…I like _you_! Can't you see that? I like you, Chelsea! I like you!"

Chelsea frowned in confusion. "Huh?"

Mark turned away from her and dropped his face in his hands. It was obvious that Chelsea did not hear a word he said. It was a real shame too because he was not going to repeat himself. Mark was shocked that he actually had the courage to say that to her face. Unfortunately, she didn't hear him. Was that the reason why he confessed like that? Did his mind force him to confess because it was loud outside and he _knew_ that she wouldn't be able to hear him right?

Sighing sorrowfully, the blond lifted his face from his hands and realized that the festival had come to an end. The last of the fireworks exploded into the empty sky and then simmered down into nothingness. All the people around applauded cheerily and then started making their way back home, ready for bed.

"Come on, Mark," Chelsea said, looping her arm with Mark's and pulling him along back to Ranch Island. "Let's go back. I'm kind of tired."

"Alright…" whispered the male, stumbling along in a daze. He didn't even care if Chelsea was that close to him.

As they walked, Chelsea started chattering about something that Mark didn't want to hear about. "That would have been so much better if I was with Vaughn. That would have been a dream come true. You know, I probably would have told him how I felt if he had come to the festival with me. Don't you think you would have told Alisa how you felt if she was there with you?"

Mark's lips formed into a straight line and he kept his green eyes forward, slowly slipping his arm from Chelsea's. He didn't talk for a long moment, but when he did, his voice was quiet and low, "Am I boring to be around, Chelsea?"

"What?" Chelsea looked surprised. "Of course not!"

"But…you said that you wanted Vaughn to be at the festival with you and that you wouldn't be so bored if he was there. Does that mean that it was boring while _I_ was there with you?" questioned Mark, now turning his green gaze to her, waiting for an answer.

"I said that?" Guilt flashed across Chelsea's face.

Mark gave her a short nod. "You did."

"I'm sorry, Mark," Chelsea ululated quietly with a shake of her head. "I didn't mean it like that. All I was saying was that, well, it would have been better if Vaughn was there with me instead of you. You know how much I like him, Mark."

A frown now crawled around Mark's features and he looked away from her, crossing his arms over his chest in a firm fold. He didn't want to say anything anymore.

"You understand, right?" Chelsea asked, becoming worried. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything. I mean, wouldn't you think the same way about Alisa? I'm sure Alisa would have been way better company than I was for you."

"Can you stop bringing up Alisa?" Mark asked in a cold voice, his frown deepening. "Just stop, okay? Stop. I enjoyed your company today, Chelsea. And, to be honest, I don't think Alisa would have been way better company than you."

A flabbergasted expression jumped onto his best friend's features and she tried to make sense of what he was going on about. "Wait, what? Why don't you want me to bring her up anymore? Don't you like her?" she asked, frowning.

"I…" Mark stopped himself from saying more. "Goodnight, Chelsea." The male rancher hurried on to his house, leaving a very confused Chelsea behind.

What was he going to _do_?


	32. Alisa and the Harvest Goddess

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXII: Alisa and the Harvest Goddess

* * *

Mark hugged a blue colored pillow close to his body, body tangled in the bed's blue sheets. He kept his back turned to his friend as he listened to him babble about certain things. Almost two weeks had gone by since the festival and it was almost fall, surprisingly. During that time, Mark had not helped Chelsea on her farm. Well, she never even _asked_. It worried him deeply. Did she not want him to help her anymore? Whenever he volunteered to do work on her farm, she would always decline and tell him not to worry about it. She'd smile kindly at him while she said it, which calmed his worries a little. Still, they hadn't been hanging out much since the day of the festival and Mark wondered if he had offended Chelsea in some way. Was she upset that he abruptly said goodnight and left her there like that while he went home? Mark so badly wished that he could go back in time and change his actions. He felt like such a fool.

"Wait, so you actually _confessed_ to her, but she didn't hear a thing you were saying?" Denny was still running his mouth, sitting at the edge of Mark's bed and bouncing a little bit. "But she kept bringing up Alisa for some odd reason? Man, that really sucks. If only she'd heard you that night. I wonder how she would have reacted."

The blond guy hugged the pillow even tighter against him, sighing sullenly. "I don't know," he murmured softly, green eyes halfway open. "She said…she said that I was cute when I blushed. I don't know what that means. I don't think that meant she liked me the same way I liked her though. She kept talking about how she wouldn't have been so bored if Vaughn was with her instead of me. She couldn't stop talking about the guy. It was…becoming frustrating, Denny."

Denny, finally noticing how sad his best buddy sounded, moved closer to him on the bed and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Hey, cheer up, Mark," he vociferated with an optimistic smile. "That doesn't mean anything. There are so many possible outcomes to your situation right now. Who knows? Vaughn probably doesn't even _like_ Chelsea in that way. Haven't you thought about that? I think he's still kind of interested in Sabrina."

"It is a fact that Vaughn enjoys spending time with Chelsea," talked Mark with a shake of his head. "He actually came to Ranch Island just to see if she would go somewhere with him. Vaughn doesn't just do stuff like that. The guy likes to be alone and he doesn't like being bothered. Heck, he doesn't even enjoy _talking_ , so why in the name of the Harvest Goddess would he come all the way to Chelsea's farm just to ask her to go somewhere with him?"

"Didn't you say the main reason he came over that day was because he wanted to check on the animals, make sure you guys were taking proper care of them or something?" Denny retaliated, raising an eyebrow at Mark's babbling.

Mark rolled over onto his back, pillow still clutched in his arms. He stared up at the ceiling, green eyes still halfway open. It almost looked like he was about to fall asleep. His eyes were a bit glazed over and he seemed to be deep in thought. "That's right," he remarked quietly. "But I don't think that was the main reason, you know? I bet he only said that so it wouldn't seem like he just wanted to spend some time with her. He needed a veil, some kind of façade. He needed something to conceal the true reason why he paid her farm a visit."

"I think you're thinking too much about it," Denny claimed, tone lathered with amusement. The curly haired individual shook his head and patted his friend's shoulder once more. "His main reason was probably just to check up on the animals and make sure that they're being properly taken care of, M."

"No, Denny. No." Mark draped an arm over his eyes and sighed heavily. "Asking Chelsea to go somewhere with him was the main reason he arrived. I am starting to think he doesn't hold much interest for Sabrina anymore. I bet all of his interest was placed upon Chelsea. And it was all due to her effort to get to know him better. It's all Chelsea's fault. I don't blame Vaughn for this. I blame Chelsea."

The fisherman grew a concerned look when Mark's voice turned cold and gritty toward the end of his speech. Mark sounded very unhappy to him and he was beginning to worry a lot about him. If he _did_ go through with telling Chelsea how he felt and Chelsea did not return his feelings, what would become of Mark? Denny didn't know, but he did know that he was going to be there for Mark no matter what.

"I just can't stop thinking about her though," whispered Mark brokenly, voice sounding watery. It sounded like he struggled to get the words out of his throat. "Chelsea's an amazing person, Denny. She's so precious to me, and I can't imagine a world where she does not exist. I can't stop the way I feel about her no matter how hard I try, even though she only has eyes for Vaughn. And…and I think I'd still love her even if we don't end up together. I'll always love her no matter what kind of outcome takes place. If she ends up with Vaughn, I'd be there to support her and I'd be _happy_ for her. I would, Denny. I'd be happy for her no matter how much I hurt. In the end, her happiness is all that matters to me."

Denny was quiet after Mark's explanation. He honestly did not know what to say to that, but it was plainly clear that Mark meant every word. Mark was seriously in love with Chelsea and was becoming depressed because she was in love with someone else. "Since when did you start loving her?" he decided to ask, staring at his best friend's face.

"D-Did I say that?" Mark kept his arm over his eyes, but extra blood started to flood his cheeks.

"Yeah, you did." Denny leaned back on the bed and got comfortable beside the blond, putting his hands behind his head and relaxing. "You love her."

Mark's cheeks turned even redder and he refused to move his arm off of his eyes. He felt extremely embarrassed for saying that, but he was glad it was just Denny. He could trust him. "Oh, I guess I did. But what do I know? I don't know if I'm in love or not. Well, maybe I am, but…I've never been in love with anyone before. This is the first time…"

"What you just described proves that you love her, M." Denny rolled his eyes, grinning up at the ceiling. "It's kind of similar to how I feel about Lanna. I can't stop thinking about her and she's always in my head. It's impossible to get her out. And, well, she's precious to me and all that mushy stuff."

Mark shifted a bit. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well then…I guess I _am_ in love."

"You got that right."

* * *

Later on that day Mark didn't see Chelsea at all. He guessed that she was going around Sunshine Islands doing her own thing. She did that sometimes, but Mark had a feeling that she was avoiding him somehow. He was probably being paranoid, but the feeling was strong.

Mark ventured to the Mystic Islands. He actually stopped by Witch Princess Island first, surprisingly. The guy just wanted to stop by the Witch Princess' abode to say hi to the Witch Princess and her little niece, Witchkin. He hadn't visited them in several weeks and he was beginning to feel bad. Anyway, he stopped by and said hi, almost getting turned into a frog in the process because of the two females not getting along with each other. They had been tossing spells here and there, yapping at each other like there was no tomorrow. Mark managed to get out of there without getting turned into a frog, thankfully.

Eventually, Mark walked on over to the Harvest Goddess Island and found Nathan outside of the church. The man was busy reading a book and pacing at the same time. When he looked up from the book he was so immersed with, he grinned in Mark's direction.

"Mark! It is so great to see you!" Nathan exclaimed.

"You too, pastor," caterwauled Mark, smiling back at the man. "How are you?"

Nathan's grin broadened. "I am well. Yourself?"

"Well…I've had better days." Mark shrugged, still depressed about what was going on with him. "I'm sure I'll be fine…eventually. Um…is Alisa here? I promised her the last time I saw her that I'd come visit her again."

"She's in the church," responded the pastor, eyeing the rancher closely. "Are you sure you don't like Alisa?"

Mark blushed. "I'm sure!" Then, he ran into the church, not wanting to be around the man any longer.

Alisa was standing in that same spot inside of the church, worshipping the statue of the Harvest Goddess. She turned around to look at Mark and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. The pink haired girl clasped her hands together in front of her and commented, "Mark, I am so glad that you have come to visit again. I was beginning to think you forgot."

"Of course not!" yawped Mark, shaking his head rapidly. "How are you doing, Alisa?"

"I am quite well, thank you." Alisa smiled softly at him, her face angelic. "What about you, Mark? How are you doing today? I hope you are doing well."

Mark nodded slowly. "I'm good. Um…just been at the church, huh?"

"Yes," Alisa answered softly. "Would you like to take a walk with me? I have been in here all day and I need some fresh air. You don't mind, do you?"

"No!"

Alisa appeared pleased and she exited the church. Mark quickly followed behind her and Nathan greeted them as he entered the church. Mark couldn't help but think that the man went inside so that he could give them some privacy.

As they walked leisurely, Alisa tilted her head back and gazed up at the sky, past the trees' heads. "The sky is so clear," she said quietly. "It reminds me of an endless pool." They stopped next to the spring. "Oh, did you know that there is a rumor that the Harvest Goddess lives in this spring here?"

"A rumor?" Mark became bewildered. "But…that's not a rumor at all. It's true actually. "The Harvest Goddess _does_ live in the spring. I've met her!"

Shock struck Alisa's face like lightning and she whirled around to face the farmer, darting closer to him so that their faces were almost touching. Mark had to lean back a little, but he knew his face was flaring up. "Y-You've met the Harvest Goddess?!" she squawked in awe.

"Y-Yeah…!" Mark responded nervously.

Alisa leaned away from him and sighed. "You are so lucky to have met the Harvest Goddess, Mark. I have never seen her before."

"She's lovely," vocalized Mark, dumping his attention on the spring in front of them.

"I feel that I am unworthy to see the Harvest Goddess," voiced Alisa through a deep sigh, an overwhelming sadness taking over her features. "But…I hope that one day I will be."

Mark suddenly thought of something and he snatched Alisa's hand in his own. "Wait! I think you just might be able to see her!" he told her.

"H-Huh?" Alisa cheeks turned pink.

Realizing that he was holding the girl's hand, Mark quickly let go of it and cleared his throat, face on fire. He dug into his rucksack and pulled out a strawberry. After that, he tossed the strawberry into the pond and waited. Naturally, like all the other times he had gave an offering, the Harvest Goddess made her appearance to thank him for the offering. Strawberries were the goddess' favorite fruit so that there was no reason why she wouldn't show up.

The Harvest Goddess was absolutely divine. She rose up from the waters below, hovering over the pond and towering over them in all of her magnificence. Her eyes swept over the two of them and her face lit with mirth when she caught sight of Mark. "Thank you for the strawberry, Mark," she told him. "They are my favorite."

"No problem!" Mark beamed up at the Harvest Goddess happily.

Alisa, who was frozen beside him, stared at the goddess in pure awe, unable to move from her spot. Words got stuck in her throat and she just stared. When Mark nudged her, she snapped out of it and shook with happiness and uneasiness. "U-Um…!"

Hearing her voice, the Harvest Goddess turned her eyes on the female and raised an eyebrow on her beautiful face. "Oh! It's you," she sonorously talked, smiling ravishingly. "I've noticed that you hang around the spring a lot."

"Y-You've…actually _noticed_ me?" Alisa managed to whisper out, cheeks still a pinkish hue.

The Harvest Goddess laughed. "Of course, dear!"

Alisa was incredibly gleeful that the Harvest Goddess actually noticed her, but she forced herself to calm down to speak coherently to the goddess that she worshipped with all of her heart. She tried to think of what to ask the Harvest Goddess, but all of her questions were lost. Finally, she managed to find one and she politely asked, "C-Could I ask you a question?"

"Shoot!" chattered the goddess, waiting patiently for what Alisa had to ask her.

"D-Do you, um…" Alisa turned her head away for a moment before looking back at the divine being. "Do you like ice cream?!"

Mark gave Alisa a look, wanting to introduce his face to his palm. The girl _finally_ got a chance to witness the Harvest Goddess for the very first time and all she could ask was " _do you like ice cream_?"

An expression of perplexity distorted the Harvest Goddess' lovely features and she brought a hand up to her chin. "Um, well, that is quite an odd question," she spoke. "But if you must know, I prefer strawberries."

Alisa smiled massively at the being. "Really? I like strawberries too! I am so glad that you like strawberries!"

The perplexity on the Harvest Goddess' face intensified and she put her hands on her hips, swaying her head in a shake. "I don't know what all the fuss is about, but…I was glad to be of some help," she commented. "Goodbye!" Then, she slowly faded away.

After the divine goddess was gone, Mark turned to Alisa to talk to her about the question she had thrown at the Harvest Goddess, but there were tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. Alarmed, Mark moved closer to her and touched her shoulder hesitantly, worried. "A-Alisa? Are you alright?" he asked.

Alisa lifted a finger and caught a tear before it could roll down her cheek. She nodded her head and smiled tearfully at him. "Yes," she responded, voice thick with emotion. "I am sorry to have worried you. It's just that…my dream has been fulfilled. My dream of finally speaking with the Harvest Goddess has been fulfilled. And it's all thanks to you, Mark."

"Oh, it was nothing." Mark grinned at her, giving her a thumbs-up.

Alisa bowed deeply at him. "Thank you so much, Mark! Thank you so much for helping me meet the Harvest Goddess!"

"You're welcome!" Mark tried to stop the redness from appearing in his cheeks. "I was just doing what I thought was right. I'm glad you got to talk with the Harvest Goddess, Alisa."

Without any more words, Alisa moved closer to the blond and hugged him tightly. Mark was caught off guard by the sudden action, but then he relaxed and hugged her back.

"Thank you…Mark."


	33. Out With Sabrina

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXIII: Out With Sabrina

* * *

Bringing his arm up to his face, he violently sneezed into it. When he withdrew his head, he frowned deeply. He knew he was no longer sick, but he sometimes sneezed. He hoped that he wasn't coming down with something else. Vaughn shoved his hands into his pockets and stepped off of the ship and onto Sunshine Islands, specifically Sprout Island. The first thing he noticed was that Will's ship was docked there. It meant that Will and Lily were back from the honeymoon, finally. Vaughn wondered what took them so long. He'd never heard of honeymoons lasting over _two weeks_!

Sighing, Vaughn wondered how it was going to be fall tomorrow. It was like summer just came and went without any delay at all. It was still incredibly hot, but Vaughn knew how it got during the fall in Sunshine Islands. The air grew chilly and it was much calmer out. He was looking forward to the coldness. He hated summer.

The cowboy entered Mirabelle's Shop a few minutes later. Once inside, he caught sight of Mirabelle behind the counter while Julia was sitting on a chair next to Elliot. Chelsea was there too, standing in front of the counter and ordering something.

"Vaughn!" Julia hopped out of her chair and was about to tackle the silver haired man, but Elliot grabbed her wrist and stopped her. She struggled to get her wrist free, but Elliot was surprisingly strong. "Elliot! Let go! I have to give my cousin a hug!"

"No, Julia!" Elliot exclaimed in a disapproving manner. "You're going to hurt him!"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow at the pink haired man, grateful that he was preventing his wife from attacking him with one of her crushing hugs. He was not interested in having a meeting with the ground again. Lifting his eyes slightly from underneath his black hat, the livestock dealer could see Chelsea staring at him in astonishment and instantaneous happiness. Why did she look so happy to see him?

"Hello, Vaughn dear," stated Mirabelle kindly, a smile curling her lips.

Vaughn tipped his hat to his aunt, one hand in his pocket. His eyes were on Chelsea the entire time and she stuffed something into her rucksack before running over to greet him.

"Hi, Vaughn!" she caterwauled enthusiastically, that same smile still stuck on her lips. "It feels like it's been ages since I last saw you! Are you feeling better?"

"Much better," answered the cowboy, reluctant to talk. It was still pretty early in the morning. He got a little cranky in the morning. In addition to that, he just wanted to get to work. He really didn't feel like speaking to anyone at the moment.

"That's good," tittered Chelsea, putting her hands behind her back. "Um, well, I was wondering if you wanted to do something together later. I don't know, maybe we could grab lunch together or something. I mean, if you want."

Vaughn instantly shook his head. "No. I've got plans."

Disappointment colored Chelsea's features quickly and her eyes portrayed immediate sadness. The brunette hurriedly tried to wipe the look off of her face, but it was futile. Vaughn had already caught it and he started to wonder why she was so disappointed because she couldn't hang out with him. The cowboy didn't like the look on her face, but he wasn't going to comment on it or anything. Whatever problem she was having, she could solve it herself. It wasn't any of his business and he didn't want to make it his business.

"Oh…okay then," murmured the farmer, averting her gaze. "M-Maybe we could do something tomorrow then?"

"Can't," mumbled the cold individual, unintentionally giving her an icy expression. "I have plans tomorrow too."

It was true. Vaughn had plans for today and tomorrow. Before he had arrived on Sunshine Islands he had already decided that he was going to see Sabrina and spend some time with her. Out of everyone on the islands, the animal trader felt most comfortable with her.

Sabrina was all he could think about. After that day when he conveyed his sour past to the girl, Vaughn couldn't get her out of his head. Even now, he thought about her. He was still surprised with himself for even telling her something like that. The guy had _never_ spoke about himself so deeply with someone before and he was glad that he had done it with Sabrina.

It was odd to the man. He didn't quite understand any of his feelings when it concerned Sabrina, but the main reason why he was going to be spending some time with Sabrina that day was to figure out exactly how he felt when concerning her. All this time, he had been trying to decipher his feelings whenever he was around Sabrina, but he was unable to fathom what it could be.

"What plans?" retaliated Chelsea, her face downcast and her voice coming out crestfallenly sullen.

"That's none of your business," responded Vaughn, frowning in annoyance. "Now, I'm not going to get anything done if I keep talking to you."

"Vaughn!" yawped Julia, anger evident in her tone. "Why do you have to be so rude all the time? Chelsea just wants to spend some time with you!"

Elliot still had a firm grip on his wife's wrist. "Julia, please…" His eyes flittered over to the silver haired cowboy, worried about what he would say next.

"It's fine, Julia," Chelsea narrated with a shake of her head. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she forced a smile, trying to appear unbothered by what was occurring. "Is it okay if we hang out next week then?"

Trying not to hurl a dark comment at his cousin and her husband, Vaughn forced himself to keep all of his attention on the brunette rancher in front of him. She was staring up at him with a sad face, but with determination dancing in her eyes. Vaughn sighed and answered her, "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Chelsea's face brightened.

Vaughn grunted and moved around her, hurrying to get to work so that he could be done as soon as possible. He already wasted enough time speaking with Chelsea.

"All of the animals need to be fed first, Vaughn," Mirabelle said to her nephew, giving him a sweet smile. "Julia and I didn't get a chance to. Can you feed them for me, dear?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

Ignoring the name, the acidic individual got to work for the day. When he was done working, it was almost two in the afternoon. Vaughn's stomach had been complaining throughout his entire time working and he was quite famished. Unfortunately, he didn't feel like eating even though he was hungry. Instead, he started making his way to Regis' mansion, having every intention to see Sabrina.

Vaughn knocked on the door roughly as soon as he reached his destination. The person who answered the door was Sabrina, just like he had been hoping. Surprise stained the girl's face before her eyes twinkled with barely concealed jolliness.

"V-Vaughn!" she squeaked merrily, extra blood flowing to her cheeks. "What a pleasant-"

Without a word, Vaughn grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of the house. A gasp flew out of the female's mouth as the cowboy completed his harsh action and Sabrina didn't even get the chance to shut the door. Thinking something was seriously wrong, Sabrina eyed Vaughn carefully and worriedly, wincing at how tight he was gripping her wrist.

"V-Vaughn? Did I do something wrong?" Sabrina asked in her quiet and soft voice, heart hammering against her chest as Vaughn pulled her to who knows where. When he did not reply to her query, the black haired girl became even more uneasy. "Vaughn?"

Vaughn still did not speak as he tugged her along. As soon as he came to a stop, Sabrina recognized her surroundings. They were in an empty Meadow Island. There wasn't a festival happening, so it was vacant. It was peaceful and the tall grass around them was swaying in the summer breeze. Vaughn released her wrist and turned around to face her. Seeing a nasty bruise coloring the skin on her wrist, Vaughn instantly began to feel guilty and he gently took her wrist into his hands. Softly, he started caressing the skin there with his thumb, angry with himself for being so rough with her. He had been rude and he knew it.

"I'm sorry…" he lamented quietly, still caressing the bruise that had formed on her wrist.

Sabrina stood there shakily, uncertain of what was going to happen. It wasn't that she didn't trust the silver haired cowboy, it was just that he was acting strange. Why did he bring her to Meadow Island? Sabrina tried to annihilate all of those negative thoughts from her brain and focused on the attention she was receiving from the male. The way he caressed her skin reminded her of someone who was being very careful with a piece of precious treasure. He touched her as if she were the most fragile thing in the world, easily breakable and irreplaceable. It made massive heat rush to her cheeks and her heart's dancing became more frantic. Her knees started to feel weak and she was afraid that she might collapse right in front of him.

"Why did you bring me here?" Sabrina questioned him, internally gleeful that she did not stutter like a fool. She was beginning to improve.

"I wanted to talk to you," the man gruffly responded, refusing to look at her. His eyes were glued to what he was doing to her wrist. "About something important."

Sabrina tilted her head to the side, gazing at his face curiously. "About something important?" she questioned hesitantly. "What's…what's wrong, Vaughn? Did something happen? Did _I_ do something?"

Appearing annoyed, the livestock dealer let go of her wrist and shoved his hands into his pockets, turning away from her slightly. "Stop assuming that you always did something wrong," he told her seriously and in his usual icy tone. "I'd tell you if you did."

"O-Okay." Sabrina's stammering was back.

"I wanted…" Vaughn's shoulders slumped and he sighed deeply. "I'm confused, Sabrina."

Sabrina grabbed at the pendant around her neck, squeezing it tight. "Confused? Confused about what?" she queried.

"About my feelings," answered the cowboy, shaking his head in frustration. "Why did I tell you about my past? I've _never_ told anyone about my past. But for some reason…I told _you_."

Sabrina felt very flattered and her heart fluttered at that fact. She was the very first one Vaughn had told? That made her feel special in some way. "Do you…trust me?" she asked softly, peering at his face closely.

"I guess…I guess I do," Vaughn vocalized, still not looking at her. "I trust you, Sabrina. But that doesn't explain some of the other things that I have been experiencing."

"What?" Sabrina tightened her grip on her pendant. "What other things have you been experiencing?"

Vaughn moved so that he was facing her fully now and he stared down at her, that stoic look written on his features. "I feel like I can speak to you freely without being judged," he confessed, face never losing its coldness. "I feel _comfortable_ around you, but…I don't know how to explain it."

Sabrina's heart almost leapt into her throat at that revelation and she blinked rapidly to keep the tears from gathering in her eyes.

"I often wonder how you're doing when I'm not around here," he talked, staring at her and refusing to show any other emotion on his facial features. "Actually, I've been wondering about a lot of people on the islands, like Mark, Chelsea, Denny, etc. I wonder about how all of your lives are going, but I feel closer to _you_."

Sabrina was quiet for a long moment, letting her tears take a journey down her soft cheeks. She loosened her hold on her pendant and let her hand drop to her side limply. "Do you…like me, Vaughn?" she asked in a whisper.

Vaughn was alarmed by her tears and by the question she had thrown at him. _Did_ he like her? That was a stupid question, he believed. Why wouldn't he like her? If he didn't, he wouldn't want to be around her.

"Of course I like you," muttered the cowboy uncomfortably, trying not to avert his gaze from her face. "Why are you crying?" he demanded to know, becoming concerned.

"I like you too, but I…" Sabrina could feel her words transfiguring into something shaky and watery. She tried searching for the right words, the _perfect_ words, but nothing was perfect. "…I _love_ you, Vaughn."

She said it.

Now, she waited for the inevitable outcome.

Vaughn just stared at her, expression unreadable. He was as still as a statue, unmoving and unwilling to speak. The coldness in his eyes didn't give away anything of what he was currently feeling, but she knew he was thinking about what she said.

Eventually, he opened his mouth and uttered quietly, "…what did you say?"

"I-I said…" Sabrina felt like her body was going to shut down. Did this mean he did not feel the same way about her? Was he going to reject her? The colors of their relationship was still so unclear. "I said that I love you, Vaughn. I…I love you more than anything in the world. I…I can't stop thinking about you either. I always feel like I'm going to pass out whenever I'm around you because you make me feel…you make me feel…!"

"I make you feel…what?" Vaughn rebutted, expression forever frosty, but there was surprise evident in his eyes.

"You make me feel like I cannot exist without you!" blurted out the raven haired girl, clutching at the front of her skirt and shutting her eyes as she yelled out all of her deepest feelings. "A day doesn't go by without me thinking of you! It's like…it's like you're my other half and I feel…incomplete whenever you're not around! And I love you! I love you so much!"

Vaughn stood there in stunned silence at the girl's confession, feet planted to the ground. His heart slowed to a comfortable rate and his mind was racing with numerous thoughts. Hands shaking, Vaughn reached up and fumbled for the brim of his hat to tug it down, but he ended up knocking it off instead. His hat dropped to the ground softly by his feet and he did not bend down to get it. Instead, he just kept his eyes on the girl, cheeks crimson.

"I-It's a-alright if you don't feel that way about me," blubbered Sabrina suddenly, several tears falling from her eyes. She removed her glasses and lifted an arm to pressing her eyes into it. "I-It's okay…" She could already feel her heart breaking.

Vaughn was silent for a long moment, unwilling to say anything. Was _that_ how he was feeling about _her_? No. That was inaccurate. He felt for Sabrina, but he now realized it wasn't that deep. He didn't like her up to the point of how she liked him. It wasn't _love_. It could _never_ be love. Vaughn could see himself spending the rest of his life with her, but not as her partner. He could do that as her friend.

Then it hit him. He trusted Sabrina because he thought of her as a close friend, like Mark was to Chelsea. Chelsea and Mark were very close with each other and Vaughn knew that they probably confided in each other about anything and everything. That was why he had confided in Sabrina about his bitter past. It wasn't because he loved her. Sabrina was a very sweet girl and had done things for him that nobody else would have done. Well, _Chelsea_ had also done things for him as well, but he wasn't contemplating about the rancher at the moment. He was ruminating about the bookkeeper.

Sabrina was his very first best friend. That was why he felt so comfortable with her, that was why he didn't mind her presence. She calmed him, made him feel needed. But that was it. There was nothing more behind that.

He could not feel that way about her.

Moving his gaze elsewhere, the cowboy wet his lips and bent down to pick up his hat, detesting the tears that were continuously pouring from Sabrina's eyes. He didn't want to hurt her, but he wanted to make sure that she knew that he _did_ care about her.

"It's okay if I don't feel the same way about you, right?" Vaughn spoke finally, voice quiet and lathered with something unknown. "If I don't feel the same way about you, you'll be okay with that, Sabrina?"

Sabrina's weeping only intensified, but she managed to nod feebly. She removed her eyes from her arm and gazed at him with a blurry vision due to her uncountable tears.

"I don't feel the same way about you, Sabrina," Vaughn told her with a shake of his head, sighing when Sabrina began to sob. The man was beginning to feel terrible and he hated that feeling. "I'm sorry, Sabrina. I just…can't feel that way about you. What I was feeling was just…I don't know. You're my best friend, Sabrina. You've _become_ my best friend. That's why I told you about my past, that's why…I enjoy being around you. But there's nothing more than that. The relationship between us does not go beyond friendship. I do care about you, Sabrina, but I just…I can't."

Sabrina slowly lowered herself to her knees, burying her face in her hands as the tears continued to stroll out of her eyes. She was blubbering about something, but all of the words that managed to escape her mouth were uncontrolled and incoherent. Vaughn wanted to comfort her, but he had no idea how to do that. In addition to that, he didn't want to give her the wrong idea.

Still, Vaughn felt responsible for her sadness and he vowed to himself that he would make it up to her somehow. Shoving his hands into his pockets, the silver haired man started walking away from her, unable to stand the sight of the weeping girl.


	34. The Marriage of Denny and Lanna

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXIV: The Marriage of Denny and Lanna

* * *

"Two weddings in a row…" mumbled Mark, adjusting the tie of his tuxedo with a grimace. "Remind me why you wanted to move up the wedding again, Denny, because I just don't understand the reason. At all. Period."

Pierre and Natalie had gotten married yesterday, the first day of fall, and were merry and content. After attending the wedding of Pierre and Natalie, Denny and Lanna agreed to get married the next day. Lots of plans were changed and everyone had to rush to make preparations, but Denny and Lanna did not want a big wedding and there wasn't even going to be a lot of people there. Basically, it wasn't going to be overly formal. It was going to be a very casual wedding, no special themes or anything.

Denny ran a hand through his extremely curly hair and flashed himself a handsome grin in the mirror he stood in front of. They were currently in his shack, getting ready to head on over to the Harvest Goddess Island for the aloof ceremony. "It's simple, Mark," he caterwauled jollily. "After seeing Pierre and Natalie get married like that, we couldn't wait any longer! Besides, it's no big deal!"

"It _is_ a big deal! Things had to be changed!" retaliated Mark with a frown on his face, finally getting his tie fixed. Huffing, he turned to look at his best buddy, seeing how unkempt his hair was. Denny didn't even comb it! "Your hair!"

"What about my hair?" Denny questioned, raising an eyebrow at the blond. "Something wrong with it?"

Mark stepped up behind Denny and got his fingers tangled in the fisherman's hair, doing weak attempts to make it look decent. "It's all messy and stuff! Don't you ever comb your hair, Denny? It's always a mess!"

Denny swatted at best man's hands. "Hey! Lanna likes it messy!"

"Well _I_ don't!" Mark halted his attempts and dropped his hands to his sides, pursing his lips. "Oh, fine. Whatever. If Lanna likes it that way then I guess it's okay."

"You guess?" retorted Denny through a snort.

Mark shrugged. "Yeah. Oh, I can't believe I forgot to ask, but who's the maid of honor for your wedding?"

"Uh…Lanna didn't tell you?" Denny questioned without looking at him, suddenly becoming a bit nervous. He started trekking to the door of his shack, intending to leave.

"No…?" replied Mark, raising an eyebrow.

The fisherman opened the door to the shack and held it open for Mark. "I've got some bad news for you then."

"What? What bad news?!" wailed the rancher, stepping out of the shack and letting Denny shut and lock the door behind them. "Come on, tell me! What's the bad news?"

Denny cleared his throat and started walking, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You see…Lanna really didn't know who to ask to be her maid of honor, so…"

"So?" Mark prompted, wanting his friend to hurry up and finish what he had to say. His heart started pounding in his chest horribly and he thought it was going to explode.

"So she asked Alisa."

Mark immediately planted his face in his palms as they walked side by side. He groaned into his hands and wished that he could just jump over a cliff and die. That was seriously how he felt at the moment. "Why?" he cried, voice muffled.

"I didn't plan this. It was all Lanna's idea," tittered the curly haired individual, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm sorry about that, Mark. It wasn't my decision."

Mark lifted his face from his hands and sighed heavily. "No…it's okay. I guess it's not so bad. I just wish everyone didn't think I like Alisa."

"Well, by now I think it's just Chelsea that believes you. Everyone else pretty much knows you have a thing for Chelsea, Mark. You make it so obvious." Putting on a wide grin, Denny playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

Mark jolted slightly from the contact, but then frowned. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Very!"

Sighing loudly and dramatically, Mark planted his face in his hands once again and didn't lift his face back up until they reached the Harvest Goddess Island. There weren't many individuals there and nothing was formal about it. Like what was stated before, it was going to be a very casual wedding. Once inside of the church, Mark parted ways with Denny and wished him good luck. Denny only flashed him the peace sign and headed on up to the end of the aisle to wait for his bride. All of the wedding guests were seated in their appropriate spots and there was a person about to play a piano off in the corner. He'd start playing once the ceremony began.

As all the groomsmen and bridesmaids walked down the aisle arm in arm, Mark noticed Chelsea walking with Shea. Chelsea was dressed in a long sleeved, white dress that stopped below her knees. It wasn't so glamorous, but Mark still thought that it looked really nice on her. Chelsea hadn't done anything special with her hair, but she wasn't wearing her red bandana. However, her dark brown hair did looked like she had brushed it before arriving at the ceremony. Mark thought she looked really pretty and he was willing to stare at her all throughout the wedding, but he knew that would be weird and inappropriate.

When it was his turn to walk down the aisle as best man, the maid of honor, Alisa, came strolling out and heading in his direction. Mark was fully aware of how cute Alisa looked in her casual dress. Her dress was white, like Chelsea's and all the other bridesmaids, but it was very frilly at the ends and the dress showed more of her back. Her hair was done up in a small ponytail by a white ribbon and jewelry decorated her ears, throat, and fingers. When her eyes captured his face, she gave him one of her biggest and sweetest smiles and Mark could not help but return it, looping his arm with hers.

They walked down the aisle together without communicating while the piano gently played in the background. Mark pulled away from her when it was time to part and he took his place beside Denny, putting his hands behind his back and standing proudly beside his best pal. Mark was very happy that Denny was getting married and he was happy that he was Denny's best man. If he ever got married, he vowed to make the fisherman his best man.

Soon the bride, Lanna, escaped her chambers and began making a slow walk down the aisle. Lanna's hair was up in a big ponytail behind her head and her eyes were bright with excitement. The former singer wore a lot of makeup and had on pink lipstick. Her dress was gorgeous and reminded Mark of clouds. It was a very long dress and it was incredibly fluffy and frilly. It showed her figure nicely though and Mark thought it looked good on her. In her hands she held a bouquet of red roses.

Lanna reached the end of the aisle and stood in front of Denny. That was when Nathan showed up and started reciting his lines. Denny didn't want it to be too long so before the wedding he had told Nathan to keep it short and simple. After four minutes went by, Nathan was already telling Denny to kiss the bride.

With an elated laugh, Denny grabbed the fisherwoman by the hips and pressed his lips against hers in a deep kiss. Lanna was kissing him back instantly and Denny even twirled her around happily. The applauding started and Mark made sure that he was the one clapping the hardest. He was insanely happy for his friend.

When it was time for the reception, Denny had asked Mark to sit next to him and his new wife. Mark obliged of course and the two of them chatted happily with each other as they ate. The blond was eating a plate of simmered fish while Denny was hungrily devouring a bowl of sushi and a plate of sashimi. Lanna, who was seated on Denny's other side, was slowly eating a bowl of yam rice.

After Mark finished up his meal, he was fully prepared to give Denny a toast. He stood up from his chair and managed to gather the attention from everyone present. When all eyes were on him, he wasn't nervous at all because he knew exactly what he was going to say. Denny was his good friend after all.

"Well, I want to give a toast to my best pal, Denny!" announced the blond rancher with a big smile stuck on his face. "I'm not very good at making toasts, but I'm going to do my best because, well, Denny is a great guy!"

Denny chuckled at what Mark said, looking up at him as he stayed seated. The fisherman had his elbows resting on the table in front of him, hands clasped. Lanna was leaning into his side, hand resting on his bicep.

"Denny deserves all of the happiness that comes to him. He's a _very_ optimistic person and he is always trying his best to cheer me up whenever I'm feeling blue," declared Mark, smiling fondly as everyone continued to listen to him gossip. "I don't think I'd be the person I am now without Denny. He's…he's like a _brother_ to me. Really. Even though he laughs at my mistakes all the time, he's always sending me solutions to help fix those mistakes. We look out for each other and Denny, well, he's always been there for me. But seriously, he laughs at me _all the time_! I'm like a clown to him! I'm his main source of entertainment!"

Guffaws blasted out of the mouths of those who were present and Denny started cracking up too, unable to hold it in. Mark rolled his eyes at that, but continued anyway, "Anyway, this guy is an awesome fisherman and gives his all in everything that he does. Denny is an amazing guy and I'm very happy that he got married today to the woman that he loves."

"Thanks, man." Denny was grinning up at his friend, feeling extremely flattered.

Mark winked at him before quickly spitting out, "Uh, that's all I have to say! Thanks for listening!" He sat back down rapidly and everyone started clapping.

"That was _so_ sweet, Mark!" cooed Lanna, reaching across Denny to wrap her arm around Mark's neck. She jerked him toward her and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Denny is so lucky to have a friend like you!"

Blushing, Mark wiggled out of her grip and leaned back in his seat. "U-Um…thanks!"

Laughter jumped out of Denny's mouth at Mark's face and he stood up from his chair. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready to do some dancing!"

"Honey, but I'm not done eating yet!" complained Lanna, munching on some mushroom rice. She had finished her yam rice a little while ago.

"Oh, fine. Hurry up, will you?" Denny sat back down in his chair, a little bored now.

Mark excused himself and decided to take a walk. He studied every colorful individual inside of the church before his eyes landed on the table where Chelsea was sitting at. Licking his lips, the blond man walked over to the table and tapped Chelsea on the shoulder. Chelsea twisted around in her seat, abruptly ending a conversation she was having with Julia, Natalie, Alisa, Sabrina, and Lily. Her lips stretched into a smile when she saw that it was Mark.

"Mark! Hey! I heard your speech," voiced the brunette serenely. "That was really nice."

"Thanks!" Mark felt his face becoming warm.

"Ready start dancing with Alisa?" questioned Chelsea, raising an eyebrow at him mischievously.

Face reddening even further, Mark moved his gaze over to Alisa. The girl had been staring at him, but she quickly turned her head away to engage in a conversation with Julia. Mark put his attention back on Chelsea and cleared his throat. "I guess," he murmured. "Are you ready to dance with Shea?"

"Nope," communicated the female rancher, shrugging her shoulders. "Shea doesn't understand the meaning of dancing. But I guess it won't be so bad. I'm really glad that this is a casual wedding. We don't have to be so formal."

"Yeah, I know," said Mark, scratching his cheek. "Um, would you, uh…like to dance later then?"

Chelsea raised her eyebrows. "With you?"

"Y-Yeah…" Mark replied nervously.

"I'm really sorry, Mark, but I can't…" quipped Chelsea, shaking her head. "I'm going to see if Vaughn wants to dance."

"H-Huh?" Sabrina piped up suddenly, staring directly at Chelsea. There was an expression of surprise on her face and her body stiffened.

Natalie jumped into the conversation suddenly. "Oh, come on. That's fine, right, Sabrina? Vaughn can dance with whoever he wants, you know." It was clear that Natalie was trying to help Chelsea out.

Sabrina said nothing to that and just bowed her head.

"It looks like the dance is about to start," stated Lily, removing herself from her seat. She was about to walk away, but was suddenly captured by her husband. Will had come up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, kissing the side of her neck affectionately. Lily's face burned and she tried to look at him. "Where'd you come from?"

Will shrugged, giving everyone a charming smile. "Behind you, of course."

"They are so perfect together!" Julia squealed, clapping her hands merrily. "You guys are so cute."

"Thank you." Will winked at the blonde.

Natalie got up from the table. "Well, I'm going to look for _my_ husband so we can get this dance over with."

"Oh, I should too!" Julia hopped up from her seat and hurried away to find Elliot.

Chelsea made a move to get up from her seat, but Mark caught her hand in his and helped her out of it. Chelsea smiled at him and thanked him before going off to look for Shea. Will and Lily had already walked off. Now, Alisa and Sabrina were the only ones left at the table.

"Aren't you going to dance with Vaughn, Sabrina?" questioned Mark, appearing a little concerned for the black haired girl. "I thought I saw you walking down the aisle with him earlier…"

"I-I am…" Slowly, Sabrina rose from her seat and then started sauntering into the fray of people, searching for Vaughn with a solemn expression decorating her features. Mark wondered what was wrong with her, but didn't dwell on it for too long. He had his own problems to think about.

Alisa got up from her chair and smiled sweetly at the blond. She walked around the table to join his side and looked up at him. "Are you ready?" she asked him in her harmonic voice.

"I guess so," replied Mark, returning her lovely smile. He gently took her hand in his and the two of them walked out to the dance floor together. "I really don't know how to dance…"

"Oh, but you were dancing just fine yesterday at Natalie's and Pierre's wedding," spoke the female, gently placing her hands on his shoulders while Mark grabbed her waist with both hands. "You were also dancing fine at the weddings before that as well."

Mark shook his head. "That's only because I was being led. I honestly do not know how to dance."

"Oh, I misunderstood. I am sorry." Alisa frowned a little bit, but then got rid of it and put on a simper instead. "I know how to dance. I can lead you."

"Great!" Mark clamored.

The music started to play. It was something really slow and serene. It was easy to follow Alisa's steps because she moved so fluently and with a heavenly grace Mark had never witnessed before. He swayed with her, glided with her, and dipped her a few times with her instruction. He was beginning to have lots of fun, but the song ended quickly and they had to stop. As soon as it went off, a fast and upbeat song rocketed throughout the church and everyone started moving at once, switching partners and whatnot. Mark, however, stayed with Alisa and allowed his eyes to roam.

Mark captured the sight of Denny and Lanna dancing together. The two of them were moving quickly with each other, laughing as they did while they danced to the beat. Mark smiled at the both of them and then searched around for Chelsea.

When he found her, his face took on a look of horror and his heart stopped.

Chelsea was with Vaughn…

…and she was _kissing_ him.


	35. Words of Confession 2

Note: Final chapter will be posted tomorrow.  


* * *

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXV: Words of Confession 2

* * *

Sometime during the wedding, Chelsea had spotted Vaughn dancing with Sabrina. It was during the first dance. Chelsea had been relentlessly scanning the chockablock of people throughout the church and had finally found the cowboy. The hope that had been burning in her chest, simmered down when she saw them dancing together. Sabrina had her head resting against the man's chest, her hands gripping his shoulders. Vaughn's arms were around her waist and they swayed effortlessly with each other. It almost looked like they were in love the way they danced together and that made Chelsea's heart sink to the darkest depths of her being. Tears had clouded her vision and Shea, who she was currently dancing with, asked her why her eyes were leaking with water. Chelsea had sullenly chortled at Shea's choice of words, but fibbed and said that she was fine and that her tears was because she was happy that Denny and Lanna had finally gotten married. Shea believed it and the two of them had resumed dancing.

Chelsea wasn't sure what was going on between Vaughn and Sabrina, but it hurt her to see them like that together. It was like she did not exist to Vaughn and she was just some other girl he didn't care for. Chelsea felt really hurt, jealous, and immensely sad. She hated the all of these feelings. They were too negative for her and she wasn't a negative person. She was an optimistic person and she never let anything get her down, but when it came to Vaughn, she was a completely different person.

When the soft music ended, Sabrina had said something to Vaughn and strolled away from him. Chelsea assumed that the girl had gone to get something to drink because Vaughn just stood there after that, watching her go. Chelsea took that as an opportunity to go over to the cowboy and ask for a dance.

"I'm sorry, Shea, but I have to do something real quick," she told the native, giving him a quick hug before hurrying over to Vaughn. When she reached him, Vaughn seemed surprised to see her. "Hey, Vaughn!"

A frown creased his forehead and he viewed her with his steel gaze. "Hey," he murmured coldly. "Something you need?"

"I, well…" Chelsea fiddled around with her fingers in front of her, face going red. There was still hope in his chest and Chelsea was going to cling to that hope until there was nothing left. "Do you want to dance with me, Vaughn?"

The silver haired man narrowed his eyes at her and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have your own dance partner?" he retorted a little bit rudely. Realizing that he didn't sound nice, Vaughn sighed and shook his head. "I'll consider it."

"Y-You will?" Chelsea's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face, relief washing through her soul. "You'll consider dancing with me?"

"There you go again," tittered the cowboy, miffed. "Repeating what I say all the time."

Chelsea winced and laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ah, sorry about that! I think it's become a habit, repeating what you say. I don't know why I do that."

The corner of Vaughn's mouth turned up slightly, but that was it. Chelsea was really thrilled to see that she had managed to make him put on a tiny smile like that. Maybe she really did have a chance with him? Chelsea wanted to ask him what it was like dancing with Sabrina, but knew that probably wasn't the best idea. Instead, she put her hands behind her back and stood next to him, watching everyone else get down on the dance floor.

"Look at Denny and Lanna!" laughed Chelsea, pointing a finger at the newlyweds. They were both doing strange dance moves that Chelsea had never seen before. It was kind of goofy and she guessed that they were probably messing around. "They look so funny!"

"They look ridiculous," muttered the livestock dealer, shaking his head in an uninterested manner.

"You know…" Chelsea turned to face him. "We should give it a try."

Vaughn looked revolted. "You want to try dancing like _that_?" he shot back acidly.

Chelsea waved her hands. "No, no! I meant, well, we should try dancing to this fast song. You know, like do a fast dance or something."

The silver haired man contemplated for a moment, eyes darting elsewhere for a few seconds. When they returned to Chelsea's form, he gave her a short nod and relented. "Fine. You better keep up with me."

Chelsea took that as a challenge and she smirked. "You better keep up with _me_ , cowboy!"

Rolling his eyes, Vaughn took Chelsea's wrist and dragged her out to the dance floor. As soon as they got there, they immediately started dancing to the upbeat song that was playing around them. Chelsea moved as quickly as possible with her new dance partner, trying to keep up with all of Vaughn's movements. Chelsea was amazed that Vaughn knew how to dance so well. They were now performing some sort of ballroom contemporary dance.

As they danced, Chelsea couldn't help but admire Vaughn's handsome face. She just wanted to hold him close and tell him how much she felt about him. That was all she wanted. That was all she wanted to happen.

Without thinking and without her consent, the brunette suddenly ceased her rapid movements and rushed forward, trapping Vaughn in a tight embrace. Vaughn froze, looking down at the female in surprise.

"Chelsea-"

"Vaughn, I love you!" blurted out the rancher. "I've loved you ever since I met you!"

Vaughn's eyes were huge on his face and his mouth dropped open. The expression would have been comical to Chelsea, but this was a serious situation and there was no time for laughter. The silver haired man started to speak, but Chelsea caught him off by acting on her feelings.

She _kissed_ him!

When she pulled away, she had hoped to see a positive emotion on the male's face, but all she saw was a deep and indifferent frown. It made her heart stutter in her chest and caused her stomach to drop uncomfortably. There was a sudden remorseful whimper not too far from them and, simultaneously, the two of them turned their heads in that direction, seeing Sabrina standing there.

The look on Sabrina's face made an overwhelming sense of guilt crush Chelsea's soul and she felt so horrible. But why _did_ she feel this way? Betrayal was evident in the wealthy female's eyes and, before anyone could do anything, she turned and quickly fled the church with surprising speed.

"S-Sabrina!" Vaughn barked out harshly, shoving Chelsea away from him and quickly going after her, not even looking back.

Gasping, Chelsea crashed to the carpeted floor hard, landing on her side. Tears filled her eyes as she watched Vaughn exit the church, leaving her behind.

It was all clear to her now.

Vaughn had never been feeling the same way about her. She had been getting absolutely nowhere with him. The only thing she achieved was getting Vaughn to be her friend. That was all she was to him; a friend. Throat tightening up, Chelsea curled up into a ball on the floor and unleashed her tears, allowing them to roll down her cheeks continuously.

The pain she felt in her chest was almost unbearable and a sob escaped her mouth without her consent. Her body trembled and Chelsea wished she would have never experienced heartbreak. She wanted the ground to open beneath her and swallow her up. That was all she wanted. She just wanted to disappear.

* * *

"Chelsea!" Mark yawped loudly, watching the events unfold right before his eyes. Mark wanted to punch Vaughn in the face for shoving her to the ground like that! The blond made a move to run over to his fallen friend, but Alisa caught his hand in her own, stopping him. Mark looked over his shoulder at her, wondering what she wanted at a time like that.

Alisa's face was unreadable. "You love her?" she questioned in her soft voice.

"I…" Mark was shocked by the unexpected question, but he nodded his head quickly. "I do."

Alisa loosened her grip on his hand until she let go completely, smiling gently at him. "I see," she uttered quietly. "Then you better go to her. She needs you."

Mark was flabbergasted by Alisa's behavior, but he gave her a short nod and said, "Right!"

It didn't take long to reach Chelsea. He knelt down beside her and pulled her into his arms. Mark held her closer and she clutched onto him for dear life, as if she were dying. Mark became mournful once he realized just how much Vaughn meant to Chelsea.

"Chelsea?" Mark whispered, brushing her hair with his hand as the music stopped playing all around them. The church got quiet and Denny and Lanna approached them hesitantly, wondering what on earth was going on.

"Chelsea!" Juila was there suddenly, watching her friend with great concern. "Chelsea, what happened?!"

Chelsea did not respond and just continued to sob into Mark's chest, unwilling to stop and unwilling to look at anyone. The blond continued to comfort her, brushing her hair gently and whispering things to her to calm her down.

"Mark, what happened?" Denny demanded to know, kneeling down beside them and giving Chelsea a worried look. "Why is she crying like that? Is she hurt?"

"I guess…you can say that," muttered Mark sadly, shaking his head. "Chelsea kissed Vaughn, Denny."

"What?!" Denny and Julia blurted out at the same time, including Lanna and a few others.

Mark nodded grimly. "Yeah. She did. Sabrina saw what happened and just left not too long ago. Vaughn pushed Chelsea to the ground and went after Sabrina."

"Oh…" Denny gloomily commented.

"I'm so sorry that this had to happen on your wedding, Denny," Mark claimed guiltily. "I didn't know this was going to happen…"

The fisherman shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. It's not your fault. Besides, what we need to worry about right now is Chelsea."

"But why?" Lanna questioned, looking upset that her wedding had been ruined.

Denny gave her a look. "Chelsea's your friend too, right?"

Sighing, Lanna's shoulders sagged and she nodded. "Right."

Mark suddenly gave Chelsea to Denny. Surprised, Denny wrapped his arms around the brunette and held her close, wanting to know what Mark was going to do. "Mark, what's going on?"

Mark got to his feet, a dark look settling on his features. "Take care of Chelsea…take her home please. There's something that I have to do." Then, he started making his way out of the church, hands clenched into tight, shaking fists at his sides.

"Hey, wait…!" Denny called out to him, alarmed.

Mark ignored him and kept marching on.

* * *

Cursing loudly, Vaughn ran as fast as he could, searching around for Sabrina. He had no idea that she was such a fast runner. The cowboy desperately needed to explain things to the girl, that what she saw was Chelsea's act, not his. He also wanted to make it clear to her that he would always just be a friend to her and nothing more. It seemed the girl did not get that the first time. Vaughn looked around the Harvest Goddess Island for about twenty minutes before heading to Kirk's boat. Kirk was just returning from Sprout Island.

"You!" Vaughn barked harshly, approaching the man and his boat.

Kirk jumped, startled. "Me?"

Not caring, the frustrated cowboy reached out and grabbed the man by the collar, bringing him close. "Yeah, _you_!" he growled through clenched teeth. "Did you just take someone from here?"

"U-Um…!" Kirk was sweating nervously, holding up his hands. "I did!"

"Was it Sabrina?!" Vaughn hollered, shaking him slightly.

Kirk flinched. "Yeah!"

"To Sprout Island, right?" Vaughn questioned him hurriedly, releasing the man's collar and getting into the boat. Kirk nodded quickly. "Take me there, _now_."

"Sure thing!"

Kirk immediately took off, heading to Sprout Island. Before they could get far, though, someone splashed into the water behind them and Kirk slowed the boat down, glancing over his shoulder to see Mark swimming toward them. There was an outraged expression plastered upon his face and Kirk was kind of frightened by how much animosity was present.

"Mark!" he yelped. "What're you _doing_?!"

Vaughn was becoming even more annoyed with each passing second. "Just leave him!" he shouted viciously, wanting to find Sabrina as soon as possible.

Ignoring Vaughn's words, Kirk reached out a hand toward Mark and helped him into the boat. Mark was breathing heavily by the time he got in and he just lay there on his back, staring up at the sky.

"What the heck do you want?" Vaughn spat out irefully. "You're wasting my time!"

Growling, the blond got to his feet and suddenly launched a fist at the cowboy's face. Not expecting a blow to come from the farmer, Vaughn didn't move out of the way. Mark's fist collided with his left cheek and made him stumble. The boat rocked violently from the movement and Kirk yelled for them to stop.

Rage burned in Vaughn's eyes and he touched his cheek, knowing that a bruise was now forming there. "What the heck is your problem?!" Vaughn howled at Mark for attacking him. The man seriously did not know what was wrong with Mark. Why had he come all this way to punch him? And why did he look so angry? Vaughn wanted to shove him off of the boat for punching him like that.

"What's _my_ problem?" countered Mark heinously, standing tall and with fury dancing across his facial features. "What's _your_ problem?!"

Vaughn scowled, fed up. "I don't know what you're going on about, but you're wasting my time and you're behaving like a deranged fool!"

Kirk looked worried about what was transpiring before him and his eyes darted nervously between the two men. "Guys-"

Growling loudly, Mark rushed forward and grabbed the cowboy by the collar, yanking him close so that they were face to face. "You are being such a jerk!" Mark yelled at him viciously. "How could you do that to Chelsea, huh?! You just pushed her away as if she was some garbage that needed to be disposed of!"

Now realizing what Mark was talking about, Vaughn narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "It's not my fault she felt that way about me! I don't like her in that way at all!" he revealed harshly. "And I didn't kiss her! _She's_ the one who kissed _me_!"

"You didn't have to shove her like that! You broke her heart!" Mark howled loudly, horribly upset. His grip on Vaughn's collar tightened and he shook him slightly. "You know, I thought you were a kind person under all that frostiness, but you're just a cold and heartless guy that doesn't care about anybody else but himself!"

Suddenly, Vaughn lashed out and socked Mark right in the jaw. Crying out in pain, Mark tumbled to the ground on his rear and looked up at a horribly furious cowboy. Without warning, Vaughn marched forward and grabbed Mark by the collar, jerking him up to his feet and glowering at him darkly. "You don't know anything about me!" he shouted at him.

"I do!" Mark shot back angrily, yanking out of his grasp. "You completely ignored Chelsea's feelings for you and you pushed her to the ground as if she were nothing!"

"It's not my fault she decided to like me that way!" Vaughn retaliated furiously. "It's _her_ fault!"

Overcome by complete ire, Mark rushed forward and tackled Vaughn out of the boat and into the water. They both fell in with a loud splash and Kirk rushed over to the edge of the boat, letting out a noise of alarm.

Both males resurfaced and began trading blows with each other while staying afloat. Each blow was to the face and water flew everywhere from their violent actions. While this was happening, Kirk was yowling for them to stop, but they weren't listening to a word that was coming out of his mouth. By the time Vaughn and Mark ran out of energy, both of them had numerous bruises on their faces and Mark's bottom lip was split and bleeding. Vaughn had a black eye and he thought one of his teeth felt loose. They breathed harshly, keeping their heads above the water.

"Are you guys done now?" Kirk questioned, exasperated.

He went ignored once again.

"Chelsea really loves you, you know," Mark talked after a long moment of silence, his muscles sore and face stinging from the multiple hits he received from his opponent. His voice was no longer filled with malice, but he did sound defeated and tired. "All she talked to me about was _you_. She _always_ talked to me about how kind you were on the inside and how she was going to become your friend first before she even showed how much she cared about you. She's had a crush on you for a while now, Vaughn. And that crush developed into love later on. Ever since she met you she's loved you. Simple as that."

Vaughn's frosty expression softened a little bit at Mark's words and he was very discombobulated and surprised. He had no idea that Chelsea had liked him for so long. He had no clue that she cared about him that much. The man lowered his gaze to the water and sighed heavily. All this time he thought that Chelsea just wanted to be his friend. He was so wrong. Still, he didn't think it was his fault for Chelsea's heartbreak. It was her own fault for falling in love with him in the first place.

"Where is she…?" Vaughn mumbled his question, not looking at Mark's face.

"I told Denny to take her home," Mark responded immediately, gloominess painting his features. "They probably took another boat to get to Ranch Island since we're still on this one. Or maybe they're still on the Harvest Goddess Island, waiting for Kirk to return."

Kirk huffed. "Which is why you two need to get back on the boat!"

Without another word, the livestock dealer swam back over to the boat, climbing inside with the help of Kirk. Once in, he shivered from the cool breeze that hit him. Mark was next and he struggled to get inside of the wooden boat. Vaughn moved forward and held out a hand for the rancher. Mark stared at his hand for a long moment before sighing and taking it. The cowboy helped the rancher up and into the boat. After that was done, he quickly let go of his hand and took a seat. Kirk didn't say anything else as he took them to Sprout Island. The two men got off and Kirk fled the scene, heading back to the Harvest Goddess Island.

Mark turned a little bit to look at Vaughn, shoving his hands into his wet pockets. "So…what are you going to do?" he asked gruffly, not really liking the idea of continuing to speak to the silver haired man.

"I'm going to talk to her," grumbled Vaughn, shaking his head. "Shouldn't you be with her? Don't _you_ like her?"

For once, Mark did not blush at a comment like that and he solemnly nodded his head. "I love her actually. But she doesn't feel the same way, I'm sure."

"Why don't you tell her that then?" Vaughn demanded to know, sounding very agitated.

Mark glared at him. "All because you didn't return her feelings doesn't mean she's going to magically fall in love with me. Things don't happen that way. Stuff like that only happens in movies and stories. Nothing more." After he got those words out, Mark started walking in the direction of Ranch Island. "Come on, let's go to Ranch Island. You need to talk to her."

Silent and fully aware of Mark's turmoil, Vaughn followed the male to Ranch Island. Once they got there, Denny opened the door to Chelsea's house and peered at them with an untellable expression on his face. He stepped outside and quietly pulled the door closed. The fisherman crossed his arms over his chest and eyed them curiously, wonderingly.

Vaughn knew that he and Mark looked beat up. In addition to that, they were both dripping with cold water. Luckily, Denny did not ask what happened. Instead, the man ignored his curiosity for now and asked, "What's up?" He said it so casually. It was like he was ignoring the fact that something was terribly wrong.

"Vaughn came here to speak with Chelsea," Mark stated neutrally, portraying no emotion whatsoever.

"Is that true?" Denny flittered his eyes over to the cowboy. "You honestly want to talk to her?"

Vaughn gave him a short and impatient nod. "Yeah. Is she in there?" he questioned.

"She is." Denny nodded, face unreadable. "But…I really don't think she wants to talk to you right now. She's…pretty upset. I've never seen her so upset before."

"Well, I _have_ to talk to her," vocalized the cold individual, taking a step toward him. "Things need to be explained!"

Suddenly, Chelsea appeared behind Denny, poking her head out of the house. She did not look happy at all. When she saw the state Mark and Vaughn were in, she let out a soft and startled gasp. However, she quickly got over it and she threw on a sullen mask.

"I'll talk to him," she muttered quietly.

"Are you sure?" Denny placed a hand on her shoulder, frowning in concern.

Chelsea nodded her head. "I'm sure…"

Denny watched her closely for a few minutes and then sighed, shaking his head. "Fine." He turned away from her and walked off. Before he could say anything to Mark, the guy headed toward his own house without saying anything. Denny raised his eyebrows at that before heading on home.

Vaughn stepped closer to Chelsea, surprised by how she looked. It appeared as though she had been crying her eyes out and her face seemed a little hollow. Instantly, the cowboy regretted shoving her like that and was actually beginning to feel guilty.

"I'm going to make this quick because I have to see Sabrina," Vaughn keened in his icy tone, noticing her wince when he said Sabrina's name. "I'm sorry for pushing you like that. It was wrong of me. You were just…you were just expressing how you felt about me, which I had no idea about."

"So you…you and Sabrina are…?" Chelsea couldn't bring herself to finish and she blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of her tears.

Vaughn scowled, irritated. "No. She's a good friend of mine. That's it."

Chelsea's eyes widened slightly. "H-Huh…?!"

"I'm not repeating myself," talked the cowboy, miffed.

"So…you're _not_ with Sabrina?" Chelsea demanded to know. "Then…then why do you have to see her?"

"To tell her, once again, that I do not and never will return her feelings," answered the livestock dealer. "I'm going to inform her that she is just my best friend. Nothing more."

Chelsea was quiet. "You don't feel the same way about me though?"

"No…"

Chelsea bowed her head. "A-Alright…"

"I didn't know you felt that way about me, honestly," continued the animal trader, shaking his head. "I was very surprised when Mark told me. Well, when _you_ told me. When you were hanging out with me and all that stuff, I thought…I thought you just wanted to be my friend. I thought you were trying to help me open up more so that I could socialize better."

Chelsea did not reply.

"I'm sorry." Vaughn turned away from her and hurried off, intending to go back to Sprout Island and to Regis' mansion.

* * *

When Vaughn reached the mansion, he walked up to the door, fully aware of how his appearance was. His dark suit was still dripping with water and his hair was straight and soaked due to the water. The bruises were still present all over his face and he still had a black eye. He also came to realize that one of his teeth _was_ loose.

Sighing heavily, he lifted a fist and knocked on the door. He waited a few minutes before the door slowly parted. It revealed Sabrina and she was dressed in her nightclothes, eyes red from crying behind her glasses. When she realized that it was him, she let out a soft gasp at his appearance and immediately got concerned, but there was reluctance in her eyes and it was clear that she was wary of him now.

"V-Vaughn…?" whispered Sabrina, sounding genuinely flummoxed. "What…what are you doing here? What happened to your face?" She hesitantly reached out and touched his horribly bruised cheek, but then quickly withdrew her hand as if she had been burned. The girl took a step back and looked away from him.

Vaughn hated seeing her shy away from him and he took two steps forward, now towering over her small and fragile form. "Sabrina, there's something I have to tell you."

Sabrina shook her head, smiling sadly. "I understand, Vaughn," she proclaimed gently, tone lathered with hurt. "Would you…would you like to come in for some tea? I have already prepared some."

"No, I don't want tea," retorted the cowboy, frowning at her. "And you _don't_ understand."

"B-But I do," rebutted the bookkeeper softly, voice broken. "You…you liked Chelsea all along."

Vaughn was becoming frustrated. "That's not true! Chelsea is the one who kissed _me_ , not the other way around! And I already explained to her why I can't return her feelings!"

No. He never explained to Chelsea as to why he couldn't return her feelings. All he did was inform her that he viewed her actions as attempts at becoming his friend. That was all. He didn't even know what love was and he was positive that he would never experience what love truly was. That thought caused him to feel extremely downcast, but it was what it was, he believed.

"But…you can't return mine either…" whispered Sabrina, a hollow expression decorating her soft features. "You can't return mine or Chelsea's feelings. You…you don't like anybody, do you? I meant nothing to you, right? I was just…a stranger."

"No you weren't!" Vaughn growled back, quickly becoming incensed. "I trust you, Sabrina! If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have been spending time with you!"

Sabrina's face remained hollow. "You have to leave, Vaughn. I…I need some time to think alone…"

Before Vaughn could reply to that, Regis suddenly showed up behind his daughter, wearing a heavy frown and suspicious look on his face. "Sabrina, who is at the door?" he questioned, having come to investigate who their unexpected visitor was.

Sabrina was mildly surprised by her parent's appearance, but she responded hollowly, "No one. He was just leaving. Goodbye, Vaughn." She suddenly shut the door in his face, never opening it again.

* * *

Mark already knew what he was going to do and he kept telling himself over and over that he was going to go through with it. So, he stepped up to Chelsea's house door and knocked lightly, waiting for the female to open the door. When she did, Chelsea showed her melancholy face and did not look happy to see him.

"Mark…?" she murmured. "What do you want?"

"I came to tell you something, if you'll listen…" Mark answered quietly.

The brunette didn't say anything else as she moved away from the door, letting her best friend in. Mark trekked into her house and shut the door behind him. He watched as Chelsea sluggishly trudged over to her bed and collapsed into it, burying her face in a pillow.

"So, uh, how are you doing?" Mark queried, mentally cursing himself for even asking such a thing.

Chelsea lifted her face from her pillow and stared at him for a long time, making him uncomfortable. She opened her mouth after a while and asked, "What happened to your face? Did someone beat you up?"

"I got into a fight with Vaughn, but that doesn't matter right now…" Mark responded very quickly.

Chelsea's eyes widened. "You got into a fight with _Vaughn_?!"

"Yeah," yipped the blond, chewing on his bottom lip. "But that doesn't matter right now. I need to tell you something and I really need you to listen."

Reluctantly, Chelsea gave him a nod and then buried her face back in her pillow. Mark ran a hand through his hair, heart pounding against his chest. He realized he wasn't as scared as he thought he'd be at that moment.

"Chelsea, I really like you."

Chelsea slowly removed her face from the pillow and gazed at him with a frown. "What did you just say?"

"I said that I really like you, Chelsea," Mark repeated, cheeks turning a pinkish hue. "I've liked you for quite some time now. Well, I mean, I _love_ you. Not like…"

"Stop messing with me, Mark." The female rancher looked away from him, sitting up so that she was sitting crossed legged on top of the mattress.

"I'm not messing with you!" lamented Mark noisily, desperate for her to believe him. "I love you so much, Chelsea! I've been wanting to tell you, but…but I've never had the courage to! You were so in love with Vaughn and I thought…well…"

Chelsea had an expression of disbelief glued to her face and her body trembled as she stared at her best friend. "M-Mark…you're serious?"

"I'm very serious," Mark clamored, giving her a short nod. "I wouldn't be lying about something like this."

Chelsea got quiet, turning her eyes away and looking down at her lap. "Mark…" she whispered, shaking her head. "Mark, we're supposed to be best friends. How can you say that you love me?"

"Because I do!" Mark blabbed, frowning in her direction and feeling hopeless. It was becoming clear to him that Chelsea did not feel the same way about him and that he never had a chance with her to begin with. "I love you, Chelsea."

"That's…I can't…" Chelsea was at a loss for words. "You can't feel that way about me. I thought you liked Alisa."

Mark scowled. "That was a lie!"

"Why'd you lie?" questioned Chelsea, frown deepening.

"Because I didn't want you to know that I liked you at the time," Mark responded truthfully. "That's why. I never liked Alisa. It was always you."

Chelsea slowly drew circles on the sheets with her finger, an untellable expression painting her face. "I…I can't deal with this right now." She finally looked at him again, eyes icy. "You need to leave, Mark."

"What…?" breathed the blond, feeling like his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

"I said you need to leave," caterwauled the brunette, still looking at him icily. "Now."

Mark felt his blood run cold and a very dark feeling settled over him. Obeying, he turned around and slowly fled the house, quietly shutting the door behind him. When he got back to his house, he sat on his bed and just stared at nothing for two hours.

Then he allowed himself to cry.


	36. If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run

If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run  
Chapter XXXVI: If You Set Me Free, I Will Not Run

* * *

Seconds came and went. Those seconds morphed into minutes and then those minutes transfigured into hours. Eventually, the hours transformed into days and the days turned into seasons. Fall ended on a windy and solemn day and winter came to take its place. The winter was brutal and there were many snowstorms. The whole of Sunshine Islands had been covered with a thick layer of snow at one point during the winter and hail even came down, which forced everyone to stay indoors. Soon winter came to an end and spring made its return. Now, it was in the middle of spring and a brand new year.

Mark did not speak to Chelsea for almost two seasons. Well, it was the other way around, really. Whenever he tried to talk to her, she would ignore him or pretend like he didn't exist. The female farmer had sunk into a deep depression and didn't even come out of her house for weeks when it first started. Mark had taken it upon himself to care for her animals and crops. He didn't need to do anything for crops during the winter, but he had been out there collecting weeds, branches, and other nonsense that happened to appear around the ranch. He did all the shipping and tended to her animals. Julia and some of her other friends had stopped by and tried to talk to Chelsea, but she never answered her door.

As soon as a week into spring came, Chelsea had suddenly come out of her house to see Mark watering some crops and picking up things around the ranch and she had bluntly told him that she didn't need his help anymore. Rudely, she had snatched the watering can out of his hands and began watering her own crops, getting back into being a rancher. Mark didn't say anything to her then, but he was still hurt by it. The guy kept his distance and allowed her to do her thing. There was something hollow about Chelsea, but she seemed to be getting over her depression.

In the present and throughout all the time that had passed, Mark kept telling himself that he did not care how Chelsea was avoiding him and how they weren't friends anymore. He tried to ignore the fact that he ruined their friendship by telling her how he felt about her that night. Their friendship had been thoroughly damaged and Mark wasn't sure if there was any way to repair it. Mark repeatedly told himself over and over again that it was all his fault and that they still could have been friends if he didn't tell her that he loved her that day. The guy often wanted to be alone and he didn't even talk to Denny that much anymore. Denny always stopped by to ask him what happened between him and Chelsea, but Mark would always change the subject or tell him that he didn't want to talk about it. However, he knew that Denny could probably figure it out on his own.

Mark stared out into sea as he currently rode on Kirk's boat. He sat still with his hands deep in his pockets. It was a little chilly that day so he had worn his blue coat. Putting his hands into his pockets kept his hands warm, so he left them there. Kirk watched him worriedly as he continued to take him to the Harvest Goddess Island.

"You doing okay, Mark?" Kirk asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good," Mark gossiped with a small smile. "Just doing some thinking."

Kirk didn't look like he believed him, but he didn't comment further on his behavior and smiled. "I see you're not wearing your cap today."

Surprised, Mark reached up and touched his soft, blond hair. He didn't feel a hat there and he realized he left his blue cap back at his house. "Oh. I didn't realize."

"You look different without it on," mentioned Kirk, still smiling as they neared the Harvest Goddess Island. "Ah, we're here. Ready to get off?"

Mark bobbed his head in a nod and hopped off of the boat and back onto land. "Thanks, Kirk," he said to him. "You don't have to wait here for me. You can leave and go do something else. I'm going to be here for a while."

"You sure?" Kirk looked concerned again.

"I'm sure." Mark simpered at him to let him know that he'd be okay.

Kirk sighed and then started up the boat, leaving Mark there on his own and without transportation back to the other islands. "I'll be back later!" he called from a distance.

Mark waved at him lazily before putting his hand back into his pocket and walking to the pond where the Harvest Goddess resided. As soon as he got there, he was very surprised to see Denny standing there dressed in a long, purple coat, standing in front of the pond.

"Denny! What are you doing here?" Mark wanted to know, hurrying over to his best pal and standing beside him. "I wasn't expecting to see you here!"

Denny grinned at him. "I was expecting you. I know you often come here to be alone."

"Is there something that you need or did you just want to talk?" Mark asked him, a little happy that the fisherman was there to keep him company.

"Uh, yeah…" Denny rubbed the back of his neck. "I actually came here to ask you again about what happened between you and Chelsea. Are you ready to tell me now or are you just going to keep me in the dark?"

Mark turned away from him and placed his gaze on the water in the pond. "Well," he muttered indifferently, trying not to let it bother him. "I told Chelsea how I felt about her. Told her that I love her."

"Wait, you _did_?!" yawped Denny, eyes widening.

"Yeah," replied Mark, shrugging and trying to appear nonchalant. "She told me to get out of her house and I did. We haven't spoken properly since. We aren't friends anymore. Don't tell me you haven't figured it out yet."

Denny stared at him. "Well, I did think of that, but I didn't want to believe it. Wow. She really said that?"

"Yes," Mark replied robotically. "At first she didn't believe me, but then she told me to leave and avoided me like the plague after that. I knew she wouldn't love me back. Now, I have to live with this outcome."

"Are you…okay?" Denny questioned his friend, touching his shoulder.

Mark gave him a small smile. "I'm good, Denny. No worries."

"Are you sure?" Denny wasn't buying it.

"I'm sure, Den," caterwauled the blond with a mild chuckle, shaking his head. "Don't worry about me. I'm over it already." He was lying through his teeth and he knew it.

Denny knew it too. "I know you're not over it, Mark. I can see it in your eyes. You still love her."

"Do I?" Mark's green eyes became glazed over as he continued to stare at the water in a very forlorn manner.

"Yeah, you do, man," quipped the fisherman, frowning at his best friend. "You still love Chelsea. I know you do. You told me yourself that she was precious to you."

"She doesn't love me. I think she hates me now."

Denny looked appalled. "Hate you? Why would she hate you?"

"I ruined our friendship, Denny," retorted Mark in a low tone. "That's a reason to hate me. I ruined it all by telling her how I felt and now she won't even talk to me…can't even _look_ at me." Mark's voice cracked at the end of his sentence and Denny noticed.

"Mark…" Denny truly hated seeing his friend this way.

Tears suddenly appeared in Mark's eyes and he lifted an arm, pressing his eyes into it so that Denny wouldn't see him cry. He felt so pathetic, crying in front of his friend like that. "I…I tried to act like I wasn't affected by anything, that I was okay with everything. N-Now I realized that I never really was over it," Mark said brokenly into his arm. "I am such an idiot."

Denny sighed deeply and moved closer to his friend, pulling him into a brotherly hug. Mark clutched onto him like a child and it was then that Denny knew he had to fix this. The curly haired individual rubbed his friend's back in a comfortingly manner.

"Come on, Mark. Stop the tears already," Denny told him, trying to cheer him up. "Men don't cry."

Sniffling, Mark pulled away from him and rubbed at his eyes. "Th-That's not true," he said shakily.

Denny chuckled lightly. "Well, in my opinion, men don't cry! The women do all the crying for them!"

"That's a lousy opinion…"

Rolling his eyes, Denny playfully punched Mark in the arm and then started trekking away. "I'll see you later, man."

"Wait, where are you going?" Mark questioned, eyes red from crying.

Denny waved at him and didn't turn around to look at him. "Somewhere. See you later!"

Then he was gone.

* * *

Chelsea finally completed her work for today, entering her house for a short shower. Done bathing, the brunette got dressed into something comfortable and put her red bandana on. Chelsea was about to make herself something to eat, but there was a sudden knock on her door. Frowning in mild annoyance at being interrupted, Chelsea stepped over to the door and opened it, seeing Denny standing there. Chelsea was very surprised to see him on her doorstep.

"Hey, Chels!" Denny greeted her cheerily with a wave.

"Hey, Denny…" muttered Chelsea, putting on a small smile. "What brings you here?"

Denny suddenly got a serious expression on his face and he said, "I'm just going to get straight to the point with you, okay?"

"Okay?" Chelsea wondered where this was going.

"I just got finished speaking with Mark on the Harvest Goddess Island," yapped Denny. "He told me what happened between the two of you. He told me how you stopped being his friend all because he told you that he loved you."

Chelsea froze and her eyebrows shot up, remembering that night. Mark had told her that he loved her. She didn't even know that he felt that way about her and she had been so confused about it and overwhelmed. How could Mark love her? There were no signs at all that indicated that he loved her! Chelsea had unwillingly distanced herself from him and didn't talk to him for a long while. She had still been depressed about Vaughn not returning her feelings and it felt weird to be around Mark after he told her that he loved her. She thought it best if they stopped interacting for a while.

"I…I never wanted to stop being his friend," Chelsea murmured softly, shakily. Tears appeared in her eyes and she let them escape her eyes. "I just…it's so strange to be around him now, knowing that he loves me for some odd reason. I don't understand why he even loves me. There were no signs…"

Denny snorted. "You're incredibly dense, Chelsea," he bluntly conveyed. "There were numerous signs that indicated that Mark loved you. It was plainly obvious. Everybody knew that Mark liked you, everyone except _you_."

"Wh-What…?" Chelsea was shocked.

"Yeah." Denny nodded, pursing his lips and frowning. "It's true. Mark has loved you for a while now, Chelsea. Why do you think he always did little things for you or held your hand out in public or gave you hugs? It wasn't because you were his friend, it was because he loved you."

Chelsea slowly sank to her knees and placed her hands on her lap, more tears falling from her eyes. That was true. Chelsea never thought of it that way. Mark had often held her hand or gave her hugs and she never even dwelled on it. He was always doing things for her and helping her out. Mark had always been there of for her whenever she needed him. How could she have been so blind?

"And when you distanced yourself from him, you hurt him a lot, Chelsea," Denny revealed, shaking his head. "He was _crying_ in front of me. I've never seen Mark cry like that. He truly loves you, Chelsea. I know Vaughn never returned your feelings, but you have someone that cares about you. You're not alone and you're not unlovable either. Mark loves you and he cares deeply for you. He even told me that you were precious to him."

Chelsea put her face in her hands and started crying even harder from Denny's words, feeling terrible for ignoring Mark for almost two seasons. "Wh-What am I s-supposed to do…?" she managed to say through her tears.

Sighing, Denny knelt in front of her and patted the top of her head. "I'm not saying you have to return his feelings because I know you don't feel that way about him, but maybe you can just…be his friend again. Give him a chance."

Chelsea grew quiet, wiping at her eyes and avoiding looking at Denny's face.

"Who knows? Maybe you might even come to love him one day. I don't know." Denny shrugged and stood back up, giving her one of his cheerful smiles. "How about it, Chels? Will you give Mark a chance? Will you be his friend again?" He held out his hand toward her.

Chelsea studied the fisherman's hand, still on her knees. More tears rolled down her cheeks, but they were the last of them. The brunette shakily placed her hand into his and Denny helped her back to her feet.

 _After the way I've been treating him, Mark deserves a chance to be my friend again. I owe him that much._

A determined expression jumped onto the girl's features and she gave a short nod, removing her hand from Denny's grasp and darting away and out into the spring breeze. Denny watched her go, a smile stretching his lips.

* * *

When Chelsea arrived on the Harvest Goddess Island, butterflies were assaulting her belly unmercifully and she wasn't sure what she would say to Mark after all this time. Would he be angry with her? Would he even _want_ to talk to her? Tossing away those negative thoughts, Chelsea gathered all of the courage she had left in her and marched toward the spring.

Mark was still there, standing in front of the pond with his hands in the pockets of his coat. The blond just stared at the water, unmoving. An unreadable look was on his face and he didn't hear her approach.

"Mark…?" Chelsea spoke quietly.

Flinching in surprise, Mark turned around to face her, astonishment coloring his face. It was evident that he had not been expecting her. "Ch-Chelsea…?" he uttered slowly. "What…what are you doing here?"

"I…I came to see you," Chelsea breathed, walking a little bit closer to him. She didn't get _too_ close though. It didn't look like he was comfortable being around her anymore. In fact, it looked like he wanted to be alone.

"You came to see me? Really?" It didn't sound like Mark believed her and there was unhidden hurt in his green eyes. "You really came here to see me?"

Chelsea tugged at a strand of hair nervously. "Um…yeah. That's right…"

"What for?" Mark asked solemnly, turning away from her so that he was facing the pond again. "You don't talk to me for almost two seasons and now you want to see me? What is this? Did you come here just to tell me how much you hate me for telling you how I felt about you?"

"H-Hate you?" Chelsea was surprised and she felt deeply hurt by his words. "I don't hate you!"

Mark shifted uncomfortably, but didn't say anything after her outburst.

"I just…I just didn't understand," lamented Chelsea in a broken voice, trying to control her breathing. Why wouldn't Mark look at her? Did he really believe that she hated him? "I'm so sorry for distancing myself from you and I am so very sorry for not talking to you for almost two seasons. I wasn't myself and I…I was depressed, Mark."

"I know you were," murmured the male, still not looking at her and keeping his eyes on the pond. "But did you really have to be so cold to me? I would have still been there for you even if you didn't return my feelings. I took care of your animals and your crops when you locked yourself up in your house and wouldn't come out for anything. I never got a thank you. The only thing that I got from you was "I don't need your help anymore."

Chelsea winced, realizing how harsh that sounded. She had been mean to Mark and she was beginning to feel incredibly guilty for her actions. "M-Mark…" she whispered tearfully. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I…I want us to be friends again. I really do. I want things to go back to the way they were…"

"You're just saying that to make yourself feel better," drawled Mark, removing one hand from his pocket to wipe at his nose. "And besides, things can _never_ go back to the way they were! Not ever, Chelsea!"

Chelsea trembled from his words, but tried her best to stay determined and not to break down. "I-I know…" she whispered. "Things can never be the same, but we can still be friends. I…I didn't understand why you love me, Mark, but now I do. I realized how blind I was to the truth. I remember all of the things you used to do for me and how nice you were to me…how you used to hold my hand and give me hugs. That meant something more to you, right?"

"Yeah…" mumbled Mark, his back still to her.

"I'm so sorry for not realizing that sooner," clamored Chelsea sorrowfully. "It must have been so horrible for you. I hate myself for treating you like that and for not recognizing your feelings. I hate myself for pushing you away and throwing your feelings away like they meant nothing."

Mark was silent.

Knowing that he probably would never forgive her, tears filled her eyes to the brim and she held back a sob, wanting to give Mark a hug for how terrible she had been. She knew she couldn't do that though.

"I-I'll understand if you never forgive me for this," Chelsea said softly, trying so hard to stop her tears. "And I understand if you don't want to be my friend again. Just know that I'll still be here for you whenever you need me…"

Mark still said nothing.

Chelsea's vision blurred by how much tears that had gathered in her eyes and she went on. "J-Just know that…if you ever decide to hang onto those feelings that you have for me that I'm willing to give you a chance, Mark."

Chelsea used her palms to wipe her tears away, but they were still coming. "Just know that if you set me free, I will not run," she blubbered. "I'll always be here for you."

Then, she turned around and started walking off, doing her best to fight back the sobs that threatened to climb up her throat and jump out of her mouth.

"Chelsea…"

Halting in her tracks, Chelsea slowly turned around to see Mark. He was facing her now and he was holding out a hand toward her. Her eyes roamed his form until she found his eyes and his green eyes were bright with something unidentifiable. She knew, however, that it was something undeniably positive that was tainted with everlasting sadness.

Walking back over to him, Chelsea ceased her tears of anguish and gently placed her hands in his.

Mark's warm fingers wrapped around her hand and she knew that Mark accepted that chance she had given him.

But…

"Chelsea," Mark lamented quietly, tugging her close and wrapping his arms around her. Chelsea's breath caught in her throat when her cheek made contact with his shoulder. She didn't hug him back, but her heart was hammering against her chest, flummoxed. "I know you don't want to give me a chance. A relationship like that between us could never exist…"

Chelsea pulled away from him, looking into his green eyes. "M-Mark…!"

Mark shook his head at her, eyes forever forlorn. "But I _will_ be your friend. I accept that." The blond flickered his gaze elsewhere, contemplating solemnly. "I accept the fact that you will never feel the same way about me. It's just not possible…"

"But Mark, I'm giving you a chance!" exclaimed Chelsea, not knowing why she said that.

Again, Mark shook his head. "Be truthful, Chelsea," he commented in an emotionless tone, a sad smile appearing on his face. "You only want to give me a chance because you think it will make me feel better…and you. But I don't want that. I don't want something unreal. If I were to accept your chance, your heart wouldn't belong to me, Chelsea."

Chelsea lowered her head in shame. Every single word that was exiting the male's mouth was fact. Nothing was untrue. The brunette did not want to admit it, but it was real. She could _never_ feel that way about Mark, despite what Denny had told her. It just wasn't possible. She loved Mark like a sister would love her brother.

"Your heart belongs to someone else, Chelsea," Mark continued on quietly, almost in a whisper. "You still love Vaughn. You're still very much in love with him, and I don't think that's going to change."

That was true as well. Vaughn was still her main desire and the cowboy still had her heart. Chelsea refused to give her heart to another. It only belonged to Vaughn.

"But Vaughn doesn't love me…" Chelsea whispered, shaking her head slowly, tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. "He made it clear to me that we're just friends and that's all we'll ever be…"

Mark turned away from her. "I still think you have a chance, Chelsea. Why don't you go talk to him?" It really didn't sound like Mark wanted her to do that, but the blond seemed very defeated and tired. "I think somewhere in that frosty attitude of his…there might be a possibility that he could actually fall for you."

"Then why did he shove me away like that to go after Sabrina?! He hates me!" Chelsea screamed, becoming incredibly frustrated. She turned her hands into fists at her sides and looked about ready to breakdown.

Mark shrugged indifferently. "People make mistakes, Chelsea. Just…talk to him."

The hope that had dwindled long ago, came to light once again within Chelsea's soul. Her damaged heart sang with glee and her tears continued to fall. The brunette reached out toward her best friend, wishing she could love him like he wanted her to, but she knew that she could never do that.

"I-I'm so sorry, Mark…" Chelsea murmured gently, slowly pulling her hand back and turning around. "Forgive me…"

"I've already forgiven you…" Mark said through a deep sigh, still not looking at her. "Just go, Chelsea. Go talk to Vaughn."

Mark sounded so sad to her, but Chelsea could not ruminate on him any longer. There was something she had to do.

* * *

Struggling to get the right amount of air into her lungs, Chelsea moved her legs as fast as she could. At first, she didn't think she'd find him, but she _did_. It was almost as if he were waiting for her. It was so surreal.

Vaughn stood on the beach, hands deep in his pockets, hat missing. His eyes were faraway, off in another place as he gazed at the glistening ocean. The wind gently blew his silvery hair and his face held no emotion at all. However, his eyes told an entirely different story.

Heart doing a frantic dance in her chest, Chelsea slowed down to a stop next to him, trying to get her breathing under control. Once she did, she swallowed hard and tried to voice some words, but it was impossible for the time being.

"I'm leaving Sunshine Islands for good."

Chelsea almost thought her heart stopped.

"What…?" she breathed.

Vaughn turned to face her, expression cold. "I said that I'm leaving Sunshine Islands for good. I'm not coming back, no matter how much I've become fond of this place."

"B-But why…?!" Chelsea vociferated loudly, eyes going wide with shock and horror. Her knees shook violently and she thought she was going to collapse into the sand.

"And it's _everyone's_ fault, including yours," accused the cowboy, voice hollow and full of nothing.

Chelsea struggled to swallow her saliva. "What…what are you talking about?"

"Now I fully understand why I don't get close to people," ululated the male with a slow shake of his head, eyes icy. "As soon as I get close to someone, they want nothing to do with me. Sabrina could be an example of that." There was a pained expression in his eyes. "I _trusted_ her, conveyed to her about my past, and all this time…she was _in love with me_."

Chelsea kept her mouth shut, uncertain of what she could voice. Her heart was screaming and tears threatened to occupy her eyes.

"Sabrina was in love with me," Vaughn repeated, anger and sadness evident in his tone. "What I was feeling toward her was not love at all, I could never feel that way about her even if I tried. Sabrina was like a best friend to me. You know how you and Mark are to each other?"

"We're…not like that anymore," Chelsea whispered in reply, lowering her gaze to the sand beneath her feet. "We just…we just happened to mend our severed friendship not too long ago. I don't think it'll ever be the same."

Miffed, Vaughn moved his eyes elsewhere. "You know how you two were before? _That's_ how I felt about Sabrina. She was my first true and best friend that accepted me and all of my opinions. She accepted my ugly past."

The brunette listened, but didn't say anything.

"At first I was confused about my feelings toward her, thought they were something more," explained Vaughn coldly. "I mistook them for something else. It was nothing more than a close friendship. That was all. Now, since I cannot return her feelings, she wants nothing more to do with me."

Chelsea didn't blame Sabrina.

"For almost two seasons I've tried to apologize to her, tried to make her see that friendship is just as good as a romantic relationship," vociferated the cowboy. "But what do I know? Nothing. I'm still new to all of this. I'm not used to having friends and I'm not capable of feeling love toward someone at all."

"What do you mean you're not capable?" Chelsea retorted, frowning deeply at what he said.

Scowling, Vaughn curled his hands into his fists inside of his pockets, a dark look coming across his facial features. "I'm not repeating myself. I meant what I said and I'm not going to elaborate on it."

Chelsea trembled. "But… _everyone_ is capable of loving someone. You just…you just got to try!"

Unwilling to listen to Chelsea's babbling, Vaughn moved away from her slightly. He said nothing and just remained silent. He used his eyes to inspect her face, no words coming out of his mouth. Chelsea started to feel uncomfortable, but then she realized something and an angry expression decorated her facial features.

"So, that's just it, huh?!" caterwauled the furious rancher while desperately trying to blink back hot tears. "You're just going to leave Sunshine Islands and everyone behind?! You're just going to cut ties with everyone on the islands and be done with us?!"

"Correct," muttered the livestock dealer, no emotion in his voice. There was annoyance inhabiting his eyes and it looked like he wanted to be done talking.

"You're just going to go back to the city and stay there for the rest of your life, knowing that you had friends here on the islands that cared about you?!" Chelsea exploded, face red from her growing rage. The tears finally slipped out of her eyes and began rolling down her cheeks. "You're just going to leave behind all the people that have come to love you?!"

Vaughn just stood there staring at her, unmoving.

Chelsea tried to hold back a horrible sob. "You're just going to leave _me_?!"

Still, Vaughn remained silent.

Shaking her head, Chelsea dropped to her knees and her tears became uncontrollable. Her emotions were completely erratic and she could no longer control them. What would she do if Vaughn left and never returned? How could she cope with that? How could she go on knowing that the one she loved with all her heart would disappear from her life forever?

Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms come around her body and tug her close. Her breath caught in her throat and her tears instantly ceased. When she finally realized what was happening, her heart did a fierce dance within her chest.

Vaughn was _hugging_ her!

"Chelsea," he said quietly, arms tightening around her smaller form.

Chelsea hesitantly leaned into him, shutting her eyes and hoping that this moment would never end.

"I'm sorry."

"Vaughn…?" Chelsea opened her eyes and pulled back a little to gaze at his face. The man's features had softened and his eyes seemed to be in a faraway place.

Vaughn just shook his head.

"Vaughn, I…I love you," Chelsea managed to say, her voice thick with emotion. "I love you. I don't want you to go, I don't want you to leave."

"I know." Vaughn reluctantly and slowly released her, getting back to his feet. He helped her to her own feet and then he dusted his pants off. "But I have to. I need some time to think about all that's happened. I might return one day."

Chelsea bowed her head, unable to view him any longer. Her chest tightened up and it felt like she couldn't breathe. How could this man have such an effect on her?

The cowboy grabbed her chin and tilted her head up so that she was looking at him once more. "Hey, I'll be gone for a long while, but that doesn't mean it's going to be forever, alright? So stop crying and stop looking at me like that." Vaughn's facial features had returned to its frostiness and his voice was gruff and a little bit annoyed.

Chelsea didn't like the sound of that, but there was nothing she could do to make him change his mind. She had no control over his decisions in life. "I…I understand, Vaughn." Chelsea felt defeated.

"I'm sorry, Chelsea." Vaughn let go of her chin and turned around, giving her his back. As soon as he did, he waved and walked off without another word.

Chelsea stayed on the beach long after his form had disappeared. She sat in the sand, legs crossed. Her eyes remained on the sea and the setting sun, watching the colors of evening take over the blues.

Hope still existed within her and she knew that there was always going to be a chance for her, no matter how much remorse she was feeling at that moment. She knew nothing lasted forever and she had hope that Vaughn would return to Sunshine Islands again one day.

For now, she would be sad.

Tomorrow, she would try to be happy.

* * *

 **Note:** _That's it. The end. I am working on this story's sequel._


End file.
